How can you tell the difference between good mayonnaise and bad mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise is a multi-component system created by mixing vegetable oil, water, egg powder, dry milk, vinegar and spices. Today, this product is present in almost all cuisines of the world. And Russians are the most mayonnaise-loving people in Europe. So the French invention has now become a truly national Russian product.

• Rule 1.

Good and high-quality mayonnaise, due to the technological features of the production of this product, can only be produced by large and well-known companies that have been working in the food market for many years.

• Rule 2 (following from rule No. 1).

A guarantee of quality can be good packaging, such as, for example, "Doy-Pack" ("stand-up bag", especially if it has a dispenser). Only a large and reputable enterprise can afford to purchase and install a line for packing mayonnaise in such packaging.

• Rule 3.

Pay attention to the expiration date and other information on the label. The longer the expiration date and the less vegetable oil in the mayonnaise, the more preservatives it contains.

• Rule 4.

Pay attention to the appearance and taste of the mayonnaise. If the mayonnaise has a lot of air bubbles, it means it is spoiled. Emulsion stratification and fat release will indicate a violation of the product manufacturing technology or its improper storage.

• Final check.

To check the quality of mayonnaise, just drop it on a plate. If the drop does not spread within 25-30 seconds, then the mayonnaise is good.

Today, there are three price categories of mayonnaise on the market. The first is unpromoted low-oil mayonnaise, which contains almost or no eggs or milk. The only attractive feature of such mayonnaise is its low price (it is unlikely that most people choose a cheap product because they are obsessed with diets and count calories in their diet).

The other extreme is widely advertised goods of famous brands. As a rule, everything is fine with the taste and the recipe. But when buying these products, never forget that the crazy advertising costs are always ultimately paid by the buyer, who is concerned about his own image.

It is better to stick to the "golden mean" - products with an optimal price-quality ratio. They are only one or two rubles more expensive than the first category, but their recipe and quality are no different from expensive brands. The only difference that you should always remember is a shorter shelf life and high demands on temperature conditions. Therefore, we strongly recommend paying attention to the production date and storage conditions at the point of sale, especially when buying mayonnaise at the market.

Historical background

There are several versions of the origin of mayonnaise. The most reliable one states that the whole process took place in the French city of Mahon in 1756, when the British occupied French lands during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

The French troops of Marshal Louis François Armand du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu, had a major problem with food supplies - only vegetable oil, eggs and lemons were left. Since they were already getting tired of daily omelettes, Duke Richelieu ordered the cook to prepare some unusual dish from the available products.

The cook, unable to obtain any additional products, decided to make a sauce based on vegetable oil. The sauce, which turned out to be unusually tasty, was to the liking of the French military. And it was called "mayonnaise" - in French "mayonnaise", that is, "Mahon", since the French spelling of the name of the city where all this took place, Mahon - "Mahon". This happened on May 28, 1756.

Another version claims that in 1782, Duke Louis of Crilege recaptured the city of Mahon from the English. After the battle, a feast was held. Those present were given the opportunity to try the sauce made from natural products for which the area was famous. Subsequently, the sauce spread to Europe, where it was called Mahon sauce (from the French - "mayonnaise").