Dressings & Sauces

Dressing and Sauce Facts

Mayonnaise is a thick, creamy sauce that is made of soybean oil, egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar, and spices. The commercial industry uses a continuous blending system to attain the correct degree of emulsification so that the mixture does not break down.

Mayonnaise is an emulsion, which is a mixture of two liquids that normally cannot be combined. Emulsifying is done by slowly adding one ingredient to another while simultaneously mixing rapidly. This disperses and suspends tiny droplets of one liquid through another that serves to stabilize the mixture. Egg yolks bind the ingredients together and prevent separation. Soybean oil is added drop by drop as the mixture is rapidly whisked. Adding soybean oil too quickly or insufficient will keep the two liquids from emulsifying properly.
Commercial Mayonnaise contains at least 65% oil by weight, with the exception of fat-free and reduced fat Mayonnaise. The standard of identity also requires that all commercial mayonnaise use only egg as an emulsifier. Reduced fat Mayonnaise usually contains modified food starch or other thickeners.

Salad Dressing is a creamy emulsion of soybean oil, eggs and cooked brine solution. Stabilizers, such as modified food starch, are mixed with the soybean oil. The thickeners develop viscosity to help prevent the breakdown of the blend during the various processing steps.
Other ingredients are added depending on the type of dressing, including any or all of the following: eggs, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt, sugar and spices.

EDTA is normally added to prolong the freshness profile of soybean oil. Not all customers like to declare this ingredient on their label, especially where “Natural” recipes are concerned. We can eliminate this additive, but we suggest that all products be refrigerated from time of receipt to prolong their “freshness.”