Enhancement of oxidative stability and shelf life of soybean oil based mayonnaise with Cymbopogon citratus leaf extract

The effects of Cymbopogon citratus extract (Lemon grass) on the oxidative stability of mayonnaise were studied over 21 days at 38 °C. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography was used to identify phenolic, flavonoid, and terpenoid compounds present in the extract. The values obtained for Total phenolic and DPPH radical scavenging activity were 47.73 mg GAE/g and 989.6 µmol TE/g. The extract was added to the mayonnaise at 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.075% levels. EDTA was added at 0.05% as a standard for comparison, and no additives were in the control. The markers of oxidation increased during the storage study, but the mayonnaise containing the extract showed less oxidation than the control. Viscosity showed minimal variation among the samples, and the colour of the samples was more stable in the samples containing extract and synthetic antioxidant. The mayonnaise sample containing 0.025% Cymbopogon citratus extract showed the best sensory quality, and also had the best oxidative stability, hence a potential natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants.