F Mayonnaise Manufacture 2016 US
F Mayonnaise Manufacture 2016 US
F Mayonnaise Manufacture 2016 US
MIXING Applications in
FOOD
Mayonnaise Manufacture
Gums and thickeners such as starches are used in low fat products to replace the
viscosity and bulking effect of the oil, to enhance mouthfeel, and to ensure that a stable
emulsion is formed.
Large scale production is normally carried out using a specifically designed plant. This
process is often semi-automated and usually under vacuum. For R&D, pilot scale and
small scale production typical of the “ready-to-use” market - sandwich producers,
caterers and other low-volume applications - mayonnaise needs to be produced in a
manner which allows much more flexibility, especially when changing formulation.
The Process
• In the first stage of production, the egg, which may be used in either liquid or powder
form is dispersed into the water. This acts as the emulsifying agent.
• Remaining continuous phase ingredients are then added and mixed until dispersed
and hydrated.
• The oil is added as rapidly as the continuous phase will take it up. This results in a
dramatic rise in product viscosity as the emulsion is formed.
The Problem
• Continuous phase ingredients are only a small proportion of the total formulation,
but they perform vital functions. The mixing equipment must be capable of dispersing
and hydrating these properly in a relatively low liquid volume. If the egg and other
emulsifying agents are not properly dispersed and hydrated the emulsion can break
during the oil addition stage.
• Hydration of stabilizers and thickeners is one of the most difficult mixing operations.
The solution may have to be agitated for a long period to complete hydration.
Agglomerates can easily form; these cannot be broken down by agitation alone.
• Due to the high proportion of oil in the recipe the emulsion can break if the oil is not
added to the continuous phase correctly. This is very difficult to control when the oil
addition is done manually.
• Oil phase droplets must be reduced to the smallest size possible to maximize the
surface area of oil within the continuous phase to ensure a stable emulsion. This is
not readily achieved without specialized equipment.
• Aeration must be minimized or eliminated to maximize product shelf life.
The Solution
Silverson has developed a unit for manufacture of mayonnaise for the ready- to-use
market, R&D and pilot scale production. The unit is capable of carrying out the entire
process, including rapid preparation of premixes, hydration of thickening and stabilizing
agents and preparation of the final oil-in-water emulsion. Operation is as follows:
recirculation process
control panel pipework vessel
hopper for
oil addition
modified high
shear In-Line
mixer
Stage 1 Water is recirculated from the vessel through the system by the specially designed
In-Line mixer. The egg (either powder or liquid) is added to the vessel and is
rapidly wetted out and dispersed into the high velocity liquid stream.
Stage 2 The remaining aqueous phase ingredients are then added to the vessel.
Recirculation continues until the ingredients are fully dispersed and hydrated.
The oil feed valve is opened and oil is drawn from the hopper into the aqueous
Stage 3 phase at a controlled rate. The aqueous and oil phase ingredients pass directly
into the workhead of the In-Line mixer where they are subjected to intense high
shear. This finely disperses the oil into the aqueous phase, immediately forming an
emulsion. The vinegar (and/or lemon juice) is added with the last of the oil.
Jacketed
• Suitable for batches with large volumes of
vessel powders
• Suitable for high viscosity mixes
• Minimized aeration
Discharge
• Minimized cleaning requirements
• Minimum user input required
Recirculation