Study of the perception and the acceptability of mayonnaise ingredients among Mexican consumers and its global preference

Introduction: Due to the interest in healthcare through the diet, there is an increase in the reformulation of products to reduce their fat content. The mayonnaise is a dressing product recognized by its high content of fats (75 %); the reduction of fat content implies the use of additives that can be perceived as harmful and are poorly acceptable by the consumers. The objectives of this study were to study the perceptions and the acceptability of the ingredients used in mayonnaise, as well as the global preference of these products. Methodology: The preferences of traditional and low-fat mayonnaise were studied using a survey applied to 303 participants. The perception and acceptability of ingredients (on a scale of 1 – 5) was determined with focus groups of 12 participants. Results: The selection of mayonnaise was based on the nutritional content (in women) and on a specific commercial brand (in men) (p<0.05). The low-fat content and the ingredients from natural sources are perceived as healthy characteristics of the product (64 % and 27 % from the total of the participants, respectively). The 18 – 29 years old participants demonstrated more interest in products with probiotics, while the people from 51 – 60 age range preferred ingredients from natural sources (p<0.05). The ingredients with familiar names such as egg yolk, vinegar, lime juice, spices, and mustard showed high acceptability scores (>4 acceptability score). Conclusions: The low fat- mayonnaise is the most demanded in the market. However, there is interest in mayonnaise containing ingredients with natural sources or supplemented with probiotics. The perception and the acceptability of the ingredients are positively influenced by its nature (simple names) and origin (from natural sources).