Mayonnaise Processing Line

Mayonnaise is a thick, semi-solid emulsion sauce mainly composed of vegetable oil, egg ingredients, lemon juice or vinegar, and other seasonings. It is an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with a typical viscosity of approximately 10,000–100,000 cP, depending on the formulation and processing conditions. Mayonnaise is widely used as a salad dressing, sandwich spread, and ingredient in various food products.

In traditional mayonnaise production, egg yolk is mainly used as the emulsifying agent because it contains lecithin and proteins that help stabilize the oil-water emulsion. However, some manufacturers also use whole egg liquid to simplify processing and provide additional functional properties.

The mayonnaise is light yellow, moderately soft, viscous, with a certain degree of toughness, refreshing fragrance and strong aftertaste. The phospholipids in the egg yolk have a strong emulsification effect, so it can form a stable emulsion. The oil is dispersed in the vinegar in the form of fine particles of 2-4 microns. When eating, the water phase first comes into contact with the tongue, so it first gives people a smooth and refreshing sour taste, and then the oil phase can be detected. The unopened mayonnaise package shelf life is about 6-12months stored at dry cool area after the date on the package. But after you open the package, you need to store in the refrigerator and the shelf life is one month.

Traditional mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion cold sauce that contains 65-80% vegetable oil, 5-8% egg yolk and a spiced water phase. The latter typically includes vinegar, mustard, salt and sugar. The oil is present as dispersed droplets with an average size ranging from 2 – 10 microns.

Mayonnaise was invented by the French and has been selling well in Europe, America and other countries since the 1950s. According to European and American identification standards, mayonnaise is classified as an emulsified semi-solid food. The main raw materials for its production are vegetable oil, egg yolk, vinegar and salt. These four ingredients are necessities and cannot be made without one. Other non-essential raw materials are sugar, MSG, mustard, starch, white pepper and other spices. The amount of oil in the mayonnaise usually will be no less than 65%, and generally 77%-82% is better.

Commercial mayonnaise production involves mixing oil, egg yolks, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and spices in a vacuum mixing vessel, homogenizing the mixture, pasteurizing it to increase shelf life, cooling it, packaging it, conducting quality control checks, and distributing it to retailers or food service establishments.

The Mayonnaise after blending and homogenizing, can be filled into metal cans, glass bottles, flexible pouches, sachets, or aseptic bag in box containers, and it can be divided into the following types:

Full-fat mayonnaise: This type of mayonnaise is also called traditional mayonnaise. It is made primarily from egg yolks(6%-10%), oil(65%-80% fat), vinegar or lemon juice, and seasonings.

Low-Fat Mayonnaise: Contains less oil (50% fat), egg yolk(3%-4%), and fewer calories than traditional mayonnaise. It may use substitutes like yogurt or sour cream. In low-fat recipes, the role of egg yolk-based lecithin can be fully covered by starch, eventually starch and gum (xanthan gum).

Vegan Mayonnaise: It refers to the egg yolk in mayonnaise being replaced by plant-based products such as soy and sunflower lecithin when processing. Egg yolk also contributes to the taste and color of mayonnaise. However, this can fairly easily be arranged by the use of plant-based flavors and colorants.

There are two typical recipes for mayonnaise production: 80% oil mayonnaise and low fat mayonnaise, and the ratio of the each ingredients please check the below:

–Mayonnaise production needs to prevent oil-water separation, so the emulsification Equipment is very important. We adopt to vacuum-type emulsification equipment to process The multifunctional mixer has a high-shear device that can produce very small oil droplets, avoid trapping microbubbles in the product, and prevent flocculation and precipitation. The mixer uses vacuum technology to introduce the ingredients below the liquid surface. This leads to instant emulsification, avoids caking and “fish eyes”, and reduces air mixing and foaming.

— As liquid egg yolk can not withstand high temperature(Above 65℃, the egg yolk will be protein denaturation), so the entire blending homogeneous emulsification process needs to be cold process(5℃). The reason for not undergoing heat sterilization is that once the egg yolk is heated, the egg yolk will lose its emulsifying power due to its own coagulation, and at the same time cause the separation of mayonnaise.

–In order to obtain full emulsification of the final product, plant-based emulsifiers are also added. The viscosity of the final mayonnaise can be adjusted by adding colloid or starch.

— The raw material receiving technology can process all the ingredients in the production of mayonnaise, including liquid egg mixture and egg yolk. The control system connected to the automatic weighing equipment ensures that each ingredient can be accurately weighed and stored under good conditions.

— The sanitary system design ensures all the discharge of the mixer between batches, thereby reducing waste, minimizing product loss and speeding up cleaning. The hygienic mixer adopts an efficient cleaning-in-place (CIP) configuration, which can achieve higher-quality mixing and shorter processing time.

— Mixproof valves can be equipped with the whole production line, which can prevent the product from leaking into the cleaning line, thereby reducing the possibility of contamination or product waste.

—The capacity of the mayonnaise production line is from 500LPH-5000LPH, and the end products can be filled into small bottles, or pouches.

—As the whole process for mayonnaise production is cold processing, so the raw materials like egg yolk or liquid egg need to be pasteurized, and the raw material stored in aseptic containers or cold environments.

—In the production process of mayonnaise, the emulsification and filling of mayonnaise are all under vacuum, which can effectively extend the shelf life of the end product.

The ingredients, including water, sugar, salt, vinegar, lemon juice/citric acid, and starch (if required), are first added into the high-shear emulsification tank for pre-mixing and hydration. The egg yolk or liquid egg is then added to the aqueous phase to provide emulsifying properties.

Under vacuum conditions, the vegetable oil is gradually pumped into the emulsification tank through a controlled dosing system while the high-shear emulsifier operates. The high shear force reduces the oil phase into fine droplets and creates a stable oil-in-water emulsion.

After oil addition, the mayonnaise is continuously mixed and emulsified for approximately 20–30 minutes under cold vacuum processing conditions. The vacuum helps remove entrapped air, preventing oxidation and improving product stability, appearance, and shelf life.

At the end of the emulsification process, the mayonnaise is obtained with the desired texture and viscosity. If required, an additional inline high-shear homogenization/emulsification step can be applied to further improve the uniformity, smoothness, and mouthfeel of the final product.

Finally, the finished mayonnaise is transferred to the filling system and packed into retail containers, such as sachets, squeeze bottles, plastic jars, or glass jars.

The vacuum emulsifier is the core equipment for mayonnaise production line. It integrates multiple functions, including mixing, dispersing, emulsifying, homogenizing, vacuum deaeration, heating, and cooling, into one complete processing unit.

• Integrated processing system:
  The vacuum emulsifier combines mixing, dispersion, emulsification, homogenization, vacuum processing, heating, and cooling functions, reducing the need for multiple processing units and improving production efficiency.
• Flexible production capacity:
  Available effective working volumes from 100 L to 2,000 L, suitable for laboratory, pilot, and industrial mayonnaise production.
• High-efficiency emulsification system:
  The internal emulsification and homogenization process is achieved through a high-shear emulsifying head installed inside the tank. All agitators are equipped with frequency conversion control to adjust the mixing speed according to different processing stages.
• Heating and cooling jacket design:
  The triple-layer jacketed tank allows heating or cooling through hot and cold media circulation, enabling precise temperature control during emulsification.
• Vacuum deaeration function:
  The vacuum system minimizes air entrainment and bubbles during mixing and emulsification. This improves product appearance, texture, oxidation resistance, and helps extend the shelf life of the final mayonnaise.
• Sanitary stainless steel construction:
  Product-contact parts are manufactured from SUS304 or SUS316L stainless steel, meeting food hygiene requirements. Load cells can be installed for accurate ingredient weighing and precise formulation control.
• Complete sanitary design:
  The emulsifier can be equipped with:
  • Manhole
  • Ingredient inlet
  • Product outlet
  • Sampling valve
  • CIP spray ball
  • Heating/cooling medium inlet and outlet

• Optimized agitation system:
  The tank is equipped with an anchor agitator to ensure efficient bulk circulation and uniform mixing of oil and other ingredients. The agitator design provides independent control of shear rate and flow generation.

  Different shear levels are required during mayonnaise production:

  • Low to medium shear: used during initial oil addition to form a coarse emulsion and prevent phase separation.
  • High shear: applied after oil incorporation to reduce oil droplet size and achieve a smooth, stable mayonnaise texture

A pasteurizer such as a Scraped Surface Heat Exchanger (SSHE) is an optional system for starch-based mayonnaise, low-fat mayonnaise, and mayonnaise-type sauces, rather than a standard required process for traditional mayonnaise.

Some manufacturers pasteurize the starch and water mixture before emulsification to improve viscosity, stability, and microbiological safety. Due to the high viscosity of starch slurry, the SSHE provides efficient heating and cooling while preventing product sticking and burning.

The typical pasteurization process is: Inlet temperature: 20–25°C → Heating to 80–90°C for 3–5 minutes→ Cooling outlet temperature: 5–20°C adjustable.

The SSHE pasteurizer ensures uniform heat treatment and stable product quality, making it an ideal solution for mayonnaise, sauce, and high-viscosity food processing lines.

After vacuum emulsification, the mayonnaise is transferred to the filling system under sanitary conditions. Different packaging solutions, including glass jars, PET bottles, metal cans, and sachets, can be selected according to the customer’s market requirements. Oxygen reduction technologies such as vacuum sealing, aluminum foil induction sealing, or nitrogen dosing can be applied to improve product stability and extend shelf life.

The shelf life of mayonnaise is mainly affected by formulation, processing technology, and packaging. Commercial mayonnaise can usually achieve 6–12 months shelf life at ambient temperature through the following factors:

1. Low pH (Acidification)

Mayonnaise contains acidic ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, or citric acid, resulting in a typical pH of 3.5–4.2. The acidic environment inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, improving product safety and shelf life.

2. High Oil Content

Traditional mayonnaise contains approximately 65–80% vegetable oil. The high oil content reduces available water for microbial growth, while the stable oil-in-water emulsion structure helps maintain product quality.

3. Pasteurized Egg Ingredients

Industrial mayonnaise manufacturers normally use pasteurized liquid egg yolk, pasteurized whole egg liquid, or egg powder instead of raw eggs. This reduces microbial risks while maintaining good emulsification performance.

4. Hygienic Cold Processing

Mayonnaise is usually produced through water phase preparation, vacuum emulsification, vacuum deaeration, and sanitary filling. Cold processing helps protect the product’s texture, viscosity, flavor, and emulsion stability without requiring final pasteurization.

5. Vacuum Processing

Vacuum emulsification removes trapped air and reduces oxygen exposure, helping prevent oil oxidation, rancid flavor, and quality deterioration during storage.

6. Proper Packaging

Packaging plays an important role in extending shelf life. Common solutions include:

• Glass jars: excellent oxygen barrier, suitable for long shelf life.
• PET bottles: often combined with aluminum foil induction sealing or nitrogen dosing to reduce oxygen.
• Sachets: multilayer films provide protection against oxygen, light, and contamination.

By combining acidification, suitable ingredients, hygienic processing, vacuum emulsification, and proper packaging, commercial mayonnaise can achieve stable quality and a typical shelf life of 6–12 months at ambient temperature.