We all love mayonnaise sauce and why won’t we, as it tastes so good. All the top brands like Mc Donald, Dominos, Subway sell it and also use in their products because it adds so much flavor to it, ki dil mange more. Having mayonnaise sauce with tandoori chicken, momos or fried food, hmmm its just like heaven on earth. Hold on, before you plan to order some food with mayonnaise sauce, you must know what all ingredients it’s made up off.
Since in India, food restaurants do not have any legal obligation on disclosing the ingredients used in preparation of their products to general public, we will be examining ingredients of packed mayonnaise sauce bottle (Funfoods- Mayonnaise Classic 275 grams) which we can easily get from any grocery store.
The ingredients labelled on this bottle are :
- Soyabean Oil
- Sugar
- Water
- Egg Powder
- Milk Solids
- Salt
- Lemon Juice
- Acidity Regulator (INS 260 and INS 330)
- Emulsifier and Stabilizer (INS 415 and INS 440)
- Antioxidant (INS 319)
- Preservatives (INS 211 and INS 202)
Sugar, water, egg powder, milk solids, salt and lemon juice are ingredients that we all generally consume almost on daily basis and their presence should not be harmful to our body.
Why mayonnaise sauce tastes so good because it has more than 60% of total oil (fat) in 275 grams of bottle, more oil means better taste. Eating mayonnaise sauce is almost like drinking oil. We might eat mayonnaise sauce in small quantity but still its not at all healthy. If we intake only 20 grams (around 2 teaspoon) of mayonnaise sauce then it amounts to more than 12 grams or 15 ml of oil that we would be consuming.
People suffering from high cholesterol should avoid it at all cost.
Antioxidant in foods are used to preserve and improve shelf life of the product. One of the best source of natural antioxidant is lemon juice. Along with presence of lemon juice this bottle has additional unnatural antioxidant – INS 319 (Tertiary butylhydroquinone or TBHQ). TBHQ is used in fats, including vegetable oils and animal fats. Many — if not most — processed foods contain some fats, so it’s found in a wide range of products. For example, snack crackers, noodles, and fast and frozen foods.
As per Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of USA, TBHQ can’t account for more than 0.02 percent of the oils in a food product as it can be harmful to the body.
According to the Centers for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a well-designed government study found that this additive increased the incidence of tumors in rats. And according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), cases of vision disturbances have been reported when humans consume TBHQ. They also cite studies that have found TBHQ to cause liver enlargement, neurotoxic effects, convulsions, and paralysis in laboratory animals.
Acidity Regulator (INS 260 and INS 330) are commonly found in packed food and beverages. Though these regulators are not harmful but should be consumed with caution as it may cause severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty in breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue irritation).
Emulsifier and Stabilizer (INS 415 and INS 440) – These are used as thickeners in various food products like toothpaste, Jam, sauce etc. These are safe if taken in small quantity but can cause some side effects such as intestinal gas (flatulence) and bloating.
Preservatives are present in almost 99.9% of packed food. If you are already dependent on packed food then you might be taking these preservatives in high quantity. This mayonnaise sauce has INS 211 and INS 202 preservatives.
- Sodium Benzoate (INS 211):
Generally the amount of sodium benzoate in foods is so low it is unlikely to cause significant side effects in most people. Sodium benzoate can trigger allergic reactions in some people, though. According to the December 2007 issue of “Environmental Health Perspectives” it has also been implicated as a potential trigger for hyperactivity in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Sodium benzoate does in itself not cause the disorder, and more research is needed to determine what role, if any, it plays in worsening hyperactivity. - Potassium sorbate (INS 202):
Potassium sorbate has several adverse health effects. Potassium sorbate has long been considered a safe and non-toxic food additive. However, several studies have suggested that the chemical can actually be toxic. As well, some researchers now believe that potassium sorbate can cause a wide range of long-term health problems and side effects. Prolonged use of the preservative could lead to Migraine, Hypersensitivity Reactions, Hyperkalemia, allergic reactions, Nausea, Diarrhea, etc.
Conclusion: If you are among those who have busy schedule with no or little exercise and are more dependent on packed food, then please be cautious while consuming mayonnaise sauce.
Avoid having mayonnaise sauce and if not, better prepare at home. Preparing mayonnaise sauce won’t take more than 5-10 mins at home.
The content of the product can be verified at any local store as they are all mentioned on the bottle label.
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References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/potential-tbhq-dangers#1
https://www.livestrong.com/article/353871-adverse-health-effects-of-potassium-sorbate/
http://foodnetindia.in/pectinsin-440/
https://nutrineat.com/potassium-sorbate-dangers-side-effects
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-340/xanthan-gum