Effects of Sodium Chloride and Acetic Acid Concentrations on Dispersion Stability of Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion containing oil at the weight fraction of about 70%, which is stable for over a year when stored at room temperature. The stability examination of more stable mayonnaise can be time-consuming. Mayonnaise rapidly separates into oil and aqueous phases when water in the mayonnaise evaporates, which increases the ionic strength of the aqueous phase and reduces electrostatic repulsion among oil droplets. Simulating this phenomenon under reduced pressure, the stability of mayonnaises with different sodium chloride concentrations [0, 1, 3, 5 or 8% (kg/kg-aqueous phase)] and acetic acid concentrations [0, 1, 5, 10, 15 or 20% (kg/kg-acetic acid solution)] was evaluated by comparing the duration of time before each mayonnaise sample separated into oil and aqueous phases. The durations (destabilization times) correlated with the sodium chloride concentrations for mayonnaises with 1% (kg/kg-acetic acid solution) acetic acid solution. Destabilization times were independent of the sodium chloride concentration, however, for mayonnaises with greater than 10% (kg/kg-acetic acid solution) acetic acid solution. The differences in destabilization times were ascribed to denaturation of egg yolk granules. The destabilization time of commercially available mayonnaise can be similarly explained. The results of this study, which showed that the increase in the ionic strength of the aqueous phase by evaporation assessed the stability of mayonnaise in expedition way, were consistent with previously reported findings.