Salads are among the top choices for healthy eating, but a salad made of only vegetables can seem quite dull. To enhance the flavor, salad dressings are essential. However, adding dressing can either boost the nutritional value or diminish it, depending on the ingredients used. Most dressings contain cream, egg yolks, oil, salt, and sugar, which are high in cholesterol and saturated fats, ranging from 20% to 80% depending on the type of dressing. Consuming these in excess over time can lead to obesity, heart disease, and vascular blockages. Moreover, egg yolks in dressings can increase the risk of microbial contamination and reduce the product’s shelf life.
Based on this information, Mr. Surachet Wannapan and Mr. Supanat Koeno, students in the Food Service Industry program, developed a recipe for a “Soy Tofu Cream Dressing with Dried Water Egg” as a health-conscious alternative. This dressing uses easily accessible ingredients that can be made at home. The project was supervised by Assist. Prof. Dr. Supuksorn Masavang, Lecturer in Food Technology, Assist. Prof. Dr.Sansanee Thimthong, and Asst. Prof. Nanoln Dangsungwal , Lecturers in the Food Service Industry program at the Faculty of Home Economics Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon.
Mr. Surachet Wannapan explained that traditional creamy dressings, such as mayonnaise, are typically made with egg yolks mixed with vegetable oil and seasonings. Egg yolks contain up to 31.9% saturated fats, and vegetable oil contains up to 43.7%. Excessive consumption of these fats can be harmful to health. Thus, they explored using tofu to replace egg yolks in dressings. Tofu, being high in protein but low in saturated fats and cholesterol-free, is a suitable alternative. They also aimed to enhance the nutritional value of the dressing by adding dried water egg, a green plant-based protein source rich in essential amino acids and antioxidants, which is gaining popularity in health food development.
Mr. Supanat Koeno added that the developed dressing features key ingredients such as soft white tofu, apple cider vinegar, salad oil, sugar, pepper, dried water egg, and xanthan gum. The primary ingredient is soft white tofu, and the formula was tested with varying levels of xanthan gum to maintain consistency and prevent separation over time. Compared to commercial creamy dressings, which contain at least 65% fat, this new dressing contains only 40% fat. The addition of dried water egg also provides an alternative protein source.
The research developed three versions of the tofu cream dressing with xanthan gum levels of 0.15%, 0.30%, and 0.45%, and dried water egg in amounts of 1%, 2%, and 3% of the total mixture weight. The quality of each formula was evaluated through color measurements using a Spectrophotometer, viscosity measurements with a Brookfield Viscometer, and flow consistency with a Bostwick Consist meter at 25°C for 30 seconds. Sensory evaluation was conducted with 50 participants assessing color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall preference.
“Results from the sensory evaluation of the tofu dressing with varying levels of xanthan gum showed that the 0.30% formulation had the highest scores due to its thicker consistency. Increased xanthan gum improved the dressing’s thickness and coating ability on crispy bread. Color analysis showed that higher xanthan gum content increased brightness. Viscosity and flow tests indicated that higher xanthan gum levels resulted in slower flow compared to the non-xanthan gum version. The addition of dried water egg at 1% was most preferred for sensory attributes, color, viscosity, flow, aroma, and taste,” said Mr. Supanat.
Assist. Prof. Dr. Supuksorn Masavang mentioned that future development will focus on extending shelf life through appropriate packaging and retort sterilization technology while preserving nutritional value. This will ensure product safety and offer a commercial food option that benefits health-conscious consumers. For more information, interested parties can contact 061 635 3997.
