Evaluation of mayonnaise-like food emulsions with extracts of herbs and spices

This paper investigates mayonnaise-like food emulsions with natural spices and herbs and new type of extracts. The microbiological quality, oxidative stability and sensory perception of the food emulsions were analyzed. Mayonnaise and salad dressing were prepared with extra virgin olive oil at 50% and 25% oil-phase volume, respectively. Results demonstrate that the microbiological contamination of spice extracts is significantly lower that of the corresponding natural spices. Food emulsions with spice and herbs extracts were not microbial contaminated. The differences in the oxidation processes were evaluated by measuring the formation of primary oxidation products. Mayonnaise with olive oil and natural spices proved to be most susceptible to oxidation. When comparing samples, these with extracts were more resistant to oxidation, and this was expressed most strongly in salad dressing with basil. Sensory evaluation indicated that there were little differences in the degree of perception in investigated sensory attributes of the emulsions with natural spices and herbs and their extracts. Consumers scored the samples with a higher fat content higher than the low-fat ones.