Comparison of total fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, and other sterols in mayonnaise and imitation mayonnaise

Abstract

Nine brands of mayonnaise and five brands of imitation mayonnaise were purchased from supermarkets in the Washington, DC, area. The samples were analyzed for total fat, fatty acids, sterols, and moisture. Little variation in total fat and saturated fatty acid values was observed among the brands of mayonnaise. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content of mayonnaise ranged from 28.0 to 47.9 g/100 g product. The cholesterol levels were divided between two ranges, 50-55 and 75-79 mg/100 g product. In contrast, there was wide variation in the lipid composition of the different brands of imitation mayonnaise. The total fat values for these products varied from 14.3 to 50.4 g/100 g product. The cholesterol content varied between 0 and 72 mg/100 g product; the latter figure equals the cholesterol content of many of the mayonnaise samples.