Physical and flavour stability of mayonnaise

doi:10.1016/S0924-2244(01)00079-6

Trends in Food Science & Technology

Volume 12, Issues 5–6, May–June 2001, Pages 157-163

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-2244(01)00079-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

Mayonnaise a mixture of egg, vinegar, oil and spices is probably one of the oldest and most widely used sauces in the world today. Traditional mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion despite containing 70–80% fat. Careful mixing of the ingredients and the addition of minor constituents help to maintain a closely packed foam of oil droplets. Low-fat mayonnaises need additional ingredients to maintain their stability. Mayonnaise, in common with all high fat foods, is susceptible to spoilage due to auto-oxidation, its stability depending on the type of oil used. Salt, as well as being important in the development of the flavour and stability appears to influence the rate of oxidation of the oil in the emulsion. The characteristic flavour of mayonnaise is derived principally from the addition of mustard, which contains isothiocyanates. These isothiocyanates are stabilized in the aqueous solution by the addition of citric acid. An understanding of the physical and chemical processes involved in the formation of emulsions has allowed the manufacture of mayonnaise, which is much, more stable during long-term storage and the development of products which contain a greater range of novel flavours.

Introduction

Mayonnaise is probably one of the most widely used sauces or condiments in the world today. It has been in existence for centuries, although its exact origin is a matter of dispute. It was first produced commercially in the early 1900s, becoming popular in America from 1917 to 1927 (Harrison & Cunningham, 1985) and more recently in Japan where sales increased by 21% in the years from 1987 to 1990 (Brabant, 1992). Because of its low pH and high fat content, mayonnaise is relatively resistant to microbial spoilage. Although spoilage may occur due to yeasts and moulds, relatively few other organisms have been isolated from mayonnaise (Fabian and Wetherington, 1950a, Fabian and Wetherington, 1950b). This review will deal with three aspects of the chemical spoilage of mayonnaise: the breakdown of the emulsion, oxidation of the lipid and the stability of the main flavour components.

Section snippets

Stability of mayonnaise emulsions

Traditional mayonnaise is a mixture of egg, vinegar, oil and spices (especially mustard). Mayonnaise made in this fashion typically contains 70–80% fat. Despite the high oil content relative to water, mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion. This emulsion is formed by first mixing the eggs, vinegar and mustard and then slowly blending in the oil. This results in an emulsion consisting of a closely packed ‘foam’ of oil droplets. By contrast, if the oil and aqueous phases are mixed all at once (as

Oxidation

As is the case with all fat-containing foods, mayonnaise is susceptible to spoilage through auto-oxidation of the unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in the oil. Auto-oxidation proceeds through three steps; initiation, propagation and termination. During the initiation phase some external energy, such as light, acts on the unsaturated fat, in the presence of catalysts such as heavy metal ions, to produce free radicals. During the propagation phase, the free radicals react with molecular oxygen

Flavour stability

Mayonnaise traditionally is a mixture of oil, vinegar, egg yolk, sugar, and spices such as mustard, all of which contribute to the overall flavour. Whereas the sugar and vinegar components are relatively stable, there is likely to be significant breakdown of other components such as oil (as mentioned above), yolk proteins and volatile flavours derived from the spices.

The flavour of mustard derives from a class of volatile sulphur compounds known as isothiocyanates, especially allyl

Conclusions

In home-made mayonnaise, and early commercial mayonnaises, the most likely form of spoilage was the breakdown of the emulsion due to a combination of creaming and coalescence of the oil droplets. As understanding of the physical and chemical processes involved in the formation and breakdown of emulsions has increased, it has become possible to produce emulsions, which can remain stable for periods of months rather than weeks. This increase in emulsion stability has meant that slower chemical

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Mr G. Kitson of Jatra Corp. Ltd and Mr M. Kitson of Hi Tech Foods Ltd, Christchurch for their financial support and encouragement to carry out this work.

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ReviewPhysical and flavour stability of mayonnaise

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Stability of mayonnaise emulsions

Oxidation

Flavour stability

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

Food Hydrocolloids

Poultry Science

Lebensmittel Wissenschaft und Technologie

Food Chemistry

Please squeeze the dressingsnew sales opportunities in Japan

AgExporter

New Zealand food composition tables

Storage properties of a wasabi-flavoured mayonnaise

Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand

Spoilage in salad and French dressing due to yeasts

Food Research

Bacterial and chemical analysis of mayonnaise, salad dressing and related products

Food Research

Glucosinolates and their breakdown products in food and food plants

CRC Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Factors influencing the quality of mayonnaise

Journal of Food Quality

Influence of frozen storage time on properties of salted yolk and its functionality in mayonnaise

Journal of Food Quality

Review
Physical and flavour stability of mayonnaise