Nowadays, consumers have increased concerns about chemical preservatives used in processed and raw foods. ZnO nanoparticles among several metal oxide nanomaterials are considered to control food spoilage and preserve foods. This study investigated the application of nano-ZnO (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 g/kg nano-ZnO) as a preservative to control microbial and physicochemical spoilage of mayonnaise during cold storage after 0, 2, 4, and 6 months. Nano-ZnO addition in the mayonnaise retarded the microbial growth and kept the physiochemical properties of all samples, compared with the control (0 g/kg nano-ZnO). The lowest microbial growth, color variation, oxidative and physical spoilage were measured in mayonnaise samples containing 1, 0.5, and 0.1 g/kg nano-ZnO, respectively. Furthermore, the consumers also reported the greatest ranked for the sensory attributes of the samples containing 1-g nano-ZnO in each kilogram of mayonnaise compared to the other samples up to 6 months. However, the results showed the new performance of hurdle technology, including using nano-ZnO as an antimicrobial agent and cold storage to extend the shelf life of mayonnaise.
