Processes, cilt.14, sa.9, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oil type, fat level, storage time, and storage temperature on the microbiological, physicochemical, sensory, microstructural, and oxidative stability properties of vegan mayonnaise. For this purpose, a 70% oil formulation was used as the full-fat reference system, whereas a 50% oil formulation was evaluated as a lower-fat experimental system. These formulations were prepared using palm, soybean, cottonseed, and canola oils and stored at 25 °C for 120 days, 37 °C for 60 days, and 55 °C for 30 days. The quality attributes of the samples were systematically monitored under these storage conditions. The results showed that canola- and soybean oil-based formulations exhibited superior emulsion stability and sensory acceptability in both systems. In contrast, palm oil-based samples, particularly the 50% oil formulations, showed pronounced phase separation and markedly lower emulsion stability, indicating limited structural compatibility under lower-fat conditions. Overall, the findings demonstrated that oil type and fat level strongly influenced the quality characteristics of vegan mayonnaise, while storage time and temperature were important in determining the evolution and preservation of these properties under the tested conditions. These results provide useful guidance for the development of stable and acceptable plant-based mayonnaise products.