Australia’s cheapest mayonnaise is also the best tasting, Choice test finds

A condiment worthy of compliments, or one that gets a dressing down? Consumer advocacy group Choice has taste tested 29 store-bought mayonnaises, and found the cheapest product is also the best.

Aldi’s Colway Real Mayonnaise placed equal first with a score of 80%. A jar costs $2.79, or 61c per 100g – the lowest price per unit of the product spread. Judges relished its “mild” and “pleasant” aroma and “traditional mayonnaise appearance”, while noting its “creamy, smooth texture with balanced citrus acidity, subtle sweetness, mustard and whole-egg flavour”.

Woolworths Whole Egg Mayonnaise also received a score of 80% for its “good shape retention” and “balanced flavour with pleasant vinegar acidity, sweetness, oil and mustard”. It costs slightly more than its equal-first counterpart, with a price tag of $2.80 per bottle or 64c per 100g.

The silver medal went to Aldi’s Colway Authentic Mayonnaise, which scored 77% and costs 78c per 100g. Judges remarked on its “homogeneous texture with a balanced flavour of mustard, vinegar and fat” – although, judge and food consultant Brigid Treloar told Guardian Australia, she noted its slightly orange appearance, like it has “been under the sunlamps”.

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Treloar, one of three judges including chef Serkan Tamcelik and food technologist Petra Sugiarto, said the products were assessed for their appearance (“Does it dollop?”), smell (“I don’t think mayo should have a strong aroma”), and whether its flavour was creamy, smooth and balanced.

She also considered whether the mayonnaises were properly emulsified. “In some of them, it was like … here’s a little bit of salt, here’s a little bit of sugar, here’s a little bit of oil, but it didn’t come together.”

One mayonnaise simply didn’t cut the mustard. According to Choice the worst-ranked product was Coles 97% Fat Free Mayonnaise at a score of 47%, with judges giving it the wooden spoon for its “translucent, pale appearance” and “thick, gummy, glue-like consistency”.

“It was so sweet,” Treloar said. The mayonnaise has a sugar content of 18.9g per 100g, at least double the sugar content of almost all the other tested products. Praise 99% Fat Free Traditional Mayo had the highest sugar content overall, with 20.9g per 100g, but still scored 63%.

The Choice taste test revealed that 27 of the 29 mayonnaises contained sugar, which is not traditionally found in French-style mayonnaise.

Speaking generally, Treloar sad due to cost, some mayonnaise manufacturers might use thickening or emulsifying agents to achieve a desired texture and mouthfeel. French mayonnaise typically comprises of egg yolks and a neutral-tasting oil, as well as lemon or vinegar, and dijon mustard.

Kewpie – which Treloar acknowledged has a “diehard” fanbase – was given a middle-of-the-pack score of 67%. Treloar said compared to the other products, Kewpie was more “savoury”, with a more prominent soya bean oil flavour. Comprising 9.5% egg yolk, Kewpie had the highest egg content of the tested mayonnaises.

Some products, meanwhile, didn’t contain egg at all and are therefore suitable for vegans. The best vegan mayonnaise was Hellmann’s Plant Based Mayo, which attracted a score of 77% and an overall equal-third ranking. Judges said it had a “thick and glossy appearance”, although it was “slightly gummy” on the palate.

Treloar said the taste test was one of the “most gruelling” she has done. “Certainly doing 29 mayonnaises, I was pacing myself, because it can make you feel quite sick.”