Chapter 18 - Salad Oil, Mayonnaise, and Salad Dressings

Abstract

Mayonnaise and mayonnaise-type dressings are some of the oldest emulsions known to humans. The mayonnaise or mayonnaise-type dressing may contain salt, sugar, cornsyrups, honey or other syrups, dextrose; or other seasonings commonly used in its preparation, such as mustard, paprika, other spices or spice oils; monosodium glutamate; and any suitable harmless food seasoning or flavoring, provided they do not simulate egg yolk color. Mayonnaise may contain Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) as the calcium disodium salt, disodium dihydrogen salt, or combination thereof. Among the vegetable salad oils used in commercial production of mayonnaise and salad dressings, soybean oil is the major oil used in the United States, followed by cottonseed and corn oils. Salad dressing is defined as the emulsified semisolid food made from edible vegetable oil, acidifying ingredients, and egg yolks. It contains not less than 30% by weight of vegetable oil and not less than 4% liquid egg yolk. It also contains a paste made from a food starch, modified food starch, tapioca flour, rye flour, wheat flour, or any two or more of these ingredients. Since vegetable salad oils, such as soybean, cottonseed, corn, are the predominant ingredients used in mayonnaise and salad dressings, careful specifications should be set up for their purchase.