Mayonnaise Filling Machine for Portion Cups, Cups and Foodservice Tubs
Fill mayonnaise, mayo-based spreads and creamy dressings into pre-formed cups and tubs, then seal and lid in one pass. Gentle servo piston filling at ±0.5% accuracy, drip-free nozzles, up to 30 cups per minute.
A mayonnaise filling machine deposits an exact weight of mayonnaise or emulsified dressing into pre-formed cups or tubs and seals them. The Hummus Pack SDH-R is a rotary mayonnaise filling machine that uses a servo-driven volumetric piston, a positive-displacement method suited to shear-sensitive emulsions, to fill 50-500 g at ±0.5%. It runs up to 30 cups per minute (18-25 real-world), heat-seals a membrane, offers optional nitrogen flush and lids, and starts from $45,000 USD.
- Machine
- SDH-R automatic rotary cup filling, sealing and lidding
- Output
- Up to 30 cups/min (18-25 real-world)
- Fill range
- 50 g - 500 g (approx. 2-17 oz) standard
- Accuracy
- ±0.5% (servo-driven volumetric piston)
- Cups
- 4, 8, 10, 16 oz standard; custom 2-32 oz with tooling
- Closures
- Heat-seal membrane, pre-die-cut lids, snap-on plastic lids
- Price
- From $45,000 USD (single filler)
What a Mayonnaise Filling Machine Does for Cups and Tubs
A mayonnaise filling machine takes mayonnaise or a creamy emulsified dressing from a hopper, deposits a precise weight into a pre-formed cup or tub, and closes the container with a heat-sealed membrane and often a snap-on lid. Our SDH-R does all of this on one rotary turret: it denests the cup, fills it with a servo-driven volumetric piston, seals film cut from a roll, can add a nitrogen flush, and discharges a closed cup to your conveyor. The full platform is on our SDH-R product page.
Mayonnaise looks easy to fill because it is thick and does not splash. It is actually one of the less forgiving products on a cup line, because its body comes from an emulsion that mechanical handling can damage. For garlic-based emulsions see our aioli filling machine page, and for pourable sauces our sauce filling machine page.
Mayonnaise Cup Filling Machine: Protecting a Shear-Sensitive Emulsion
Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion in which egg yolk, or a plant protein in vegan mayo, holds microscopic oil droplets in the vinegar and water phase. US standardized mayonnaise contains at least 65% vegetable oil by weight (21 CFR 169.140), so the droplets are packed tightly, which gives mayonnaise its spoonable body.
That packing makes it shear-sensitive. Force it through a tight restriction, work it in a high-speed pump or recirculate it repeatedly, and droplets merge: first a thinner, glossier product, then free oil weeping on the cup surface. A broken emulsion cannot be repaired on the filling line.
What a mayonnaise cup filling machine can control
- Displacement, not impelling. A piston displaces a measured volume; no spinning impeller works the product.
- Stroke profile. The servo-driven stroke speed is set in the HMI recipe and tuned at commissioning for your viscosity.
- Open flow path. Wide-bore valving and a nozzle matched to the cup opening limit pressure drop.
- Temperature. Mayonnaise-type emulsions generally do not survive freezing, so the SDH-R is specified for fresh or refrigerated product filled at a pumpable temperature.
For the wider principle, see our guide to piston versus pump fillers.
How the SDH-R Mayonnaise Filling Machine Fills and Seals
Each cup passes through up to six stations in one pass:
- Cup loading and denesting. A pneumatic denester places a pre-formed cup on the turret.
- Base filling. The volumetric piston deposits the mayonnaise at ±0.5% accuracy through a cut-off or suck-back nozzle.
- Optional second and third fill. A peristaltic pump or garnish filler adds a drizzle, herbs or a chunky topping. Up to three fillers run in one pass.
- Membrane sealing. Film cut from a roll is heat-sealed to the flange for a tamper-evident closure.
- Optional nitrogen MAP flushing. Residual oxygen in the container drops to 0.3-0.4%.
- Optional lidding. A plastic lid is placed or snapped on, and the cup discharges to the conveyor.
Output reaches up to 30 cups per minute on a dry cycle and 18-25 in real-world running, depending on product, cup size, fill weight and options. SKU changeover takes under about 15 minutes with recipes stored on the HMI, for multi-flavor runs.
Aeration, Drip-Free Nozzles and Clean Sealing Flanges
Aeration
Air is the most common hidden defect in filled mayonnaise. It leaves cups under-weight for the same volume, pits the surface under clear film and gives oxygen a head start on the oil. It usually enters upstream: a vortex in a half-empty hopper, product splashing back from a return line, or a transfer pump pulling air at a loose fitting. Keep the hopper flooded, return bypass product below the surface, and de-aerate at mixing where your process allows. Because the SDH-R fills by volume, we suggest the optional weight checker with feedback loop for mayonnaise.
Drip-free nozzles
A thick yield-stress sauce still leaves a tail at cutoff, and one drop on the flange becomes a seal defect. We offer cut-off and suck-back nozzles; for most mayonnaise and dressing recipes we recommend suck-back (drip-free), which retracts product at the end of the stroke. Nozzle diameter, fill height and suck-back timing are set at commissioning for your cup and viscosity.
Clean flanges and reliable seals
Oil is the enemy of a heat seal. A film of oil or a smear of product on the flange stops the sealing film from bonding, and the leaker surfaces days later in a distributor's cooler. Flange cleanliness is decided at the nozzle, not after it: a centered cup, a controlled suck-back and a fill height that leaves headspace. Seal quality then depends on temperature, pressure and dwell, which we tune to your film and cup material.
Get a configured SDH-R quote for your productSend your product, cup size and target cups per minute — we reply within 24 hours.
Request a quoteMayonnaise Tub Filling Machine Formats: Portion Cups, Cups and Tubs
The SDH-R fills pre-formed round, square or rectangular cups and tubs with matching tooling. It does not form containers, and it does not fill bottles, squeeze bottles, jars, pouches or sachets.
Mayonnaise container formats and SDH-R fit
| Format | Typical use | SDH-R fit |
|---|---|---|
| 2 oz portion cup | Takeout and quick-service dipping | Low end of range; confirm with engineering |
| 1 oz portion cup | Single-serve condiment cups | Below the 50 g minimum; outside standard range |
| 4 oz and 8 oz cups | Deli, meal-kit and retail dressings | Standard cup sizes |
| 10 oz and 16 oz cups | Retail cups, small foodservice tubs | Standard cup sizes |
| Tubs above 500 g | Bulk foodservice tubs and pails | Outside the fill range |
| Bottles, jars, pouches, sachets | Retail and single-serve packs | Not supported |
Our portion cup filling machine page covers single-serve sizes, lidding and output.
Mayo Filling Machine Setup by Dressing Type
Not every white sauce behaves like classic mayonnaise. Nozzle, filler and valve bore depend on viscosity, oil content and suspended solids; settings are confirmed on your own product.
Mayonnaise and dressing type versus recommended SDH-R setup
| Product | What to manage | Recommended setup |
|---|---|---|
| Full-fat mayonnaise | Shear-sensitive; oil weeping if overworked | Servo piston, suck-back nozzle, short flow path, cool fill |
| Reduced-fat mayonnaise | Thickeners can lengthen the cutoff tail | Piston with suck-back; stroke speed tuned in trials |
| Vegan or egg-free mayonnaise | Aeration risk depends on recipe | Piston, flooded hopper, weight checker option |
| Flavored mayo (chipotle, garlic, herb) | Particles and flavor carry-over | Wide-bore valving, tool-free strip-down between flavors |
| Creamy dressings (ranch, Caesar style) | Thin body, herb or cheese pieces, drips | Piston with suck-back; optional garnish filler |
| Tartar and relish-style sauces | Chunky pickle or caper pieces | Large-bore valving; confirm particle size |
| Pourable vinaigrettes | Thin, separating, high drip risk | Peristaltic pump option or piston with suck-back |
Chunky mayonnaise-bound products such as coleslaw are a different handling job; our salad filling machine page covers particulates. As a dressing cup filling machine, the SDH-R can also place a base, a drizzle and a garnish in one pass, which makes it a flexible emulsion sauce filling machine for topped cups.
Egg Allergen Control on a Mayonnaise Filling Line
Egg is a major US allergen under FALCPA, and traditional mayonnaise is made from egg yolk. Sesame became the ninth major US allergen on January 1, 2023, which matters if you also run tahini or sesame-oil dressings. In Canada, the CFIA priority allergen list includes eggs, sesame and mustard, and mustard is common in mayonnaise recipes.
Running egg and egg-free (vegan) mayonnaise on one machine is a changeover discipline question more than a machine feature. The SDH-R helps with:
- Food-grade 304 stainless steel and tool-free strip-down for quick access to product-contact parts.
- An optional CIP (clean-in-place) system for recirculating wash cycles that clear fat residue.
- HMI recipe storage, so every dressing keeps its own saved parameters.
Sequence egg-free runs after a validated clean and verify with allergen testing under your allergen control plan (FSMA Preventive Controls, 21 CFR Part 117, or a Preventive Control Plan under Canada's SFCR). Validating the clean is your plant's responsibility.
Acidity and Listeria: General Guidance for Mayonnaise Filling
This is general guidance, not a food safety validation. Your process authority sets and validates pH, water activity, preservatives and shelf life for each recipe.
Commercial mayonnaise is acidified with vinegar or lemon juice, and that acidity is a large part of why it resists many pathogens. The picture changes when acid is diluted: reduced-oil recipes, thinner dressings, and mayonnaise-based salads where chicken, egg or potato lifts the overall pH. Whether a product falls under acidified food rules (21 CFR Part 114) is a determination for your food safety team.
Listeria monocytogenes matters at the filling step for a separate reason. It survives refrigeration and persists in plant environments, so ready-to-eat product exposed between the mixer and the seal can be contaminated even when the formulation is acidic. The controls are sanitary design, cleaning verification and environmental monitoring. The SDH-R uses smooth food-grade stainless with tool-free strip-down and seals each cup in the same pass as filling. It is designed to support plants operating under HACCP, FSMA, BRCGS or SQF programs; it is not itself certified to them.
Nitrogen Flush, Closures and Shelf Life
Oxygen drives rancidity in oil-rich emulsions. The optional nitrogen MAP flush reduces residual oxygen to 0.3-0.4%, which slows oxidation of the oil phase. We do not publish a mayonnaise shelf-life figure, because it depends on formulation, acidity, preservatives, fill temperature and film barrier, and must be confirmed by your own testing. Closures include the heat-seal membrane, pre-die-cut lids, plastic pick-and-place lids and snap-on over-top lids; see our MAP cup filler page for the flush.
When the SDH-R Is Not the Right Mayonnaise Filling Machine
- High-volume single-SKU portion cups. Above 30 cups per minute you need a higher-speed inline line; our rotary versus inline comparison explains the crossover.
- 1 oz portion cups, which fall below the 50 g minimum fill.
- Bottles, squeeze bottles, jars, pouches and sachets, which need different machine types.
- Tubs above 500 g, such as 1 kg foodservice tubs.
- Shelf-stable, hot-fill, retort, aseptic or frozen products. The SDH-R targets fresh and refrigerated cups at a pumpable temperature.
If your format sits on a boundary, talk to our engineering team before you budget.
Mayonnaise Filling Machine Price, Lead Time and Quote
The SDH-R starts from $45,000 USD for the single-filler configuration. Price scales with additional fillers, nitrogen MAP, labeling, CIP, weight checking and custom tooling. Delivery is 8-12 weeks from order confirmation with a 12-month warranty. It is designed and built in Calgary, Alberta, and our service centres in Alberta, New Jersey and California support producers across the United States and Canada.
To quote, we need your mayonnaise type (egg or egg-free, any particulates), cup size and fill weight, target cups per minute, and options such as nitrogen flush, lids, a second filler or CIP. Our team may call to learn more about the application and replies within about 24 hours. Request a quote, call +1 (888) 922-7271, or email sales@hummuspack.com, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MDT.
Mayonnaise Filling Machine — Frequently Asked Questions
The Hummus Pack SDH-R mayonnaise filling machine starts from $45,000 USD for the single-filler configuration. Price scales with additional fillers, nitrogen MAP flushing, labeling, CIP, weight checking and custom tooling. Delivery is 8-12 weeks from order confirmation and a 12-month warranty applies. Send your product, cup size and target speed through our contact page for a quote.
The SDH-R fills up to 30 cups per minute on a dry cycle and 18-25 cups per minute in real-world production, depending on product, cup size, fill weight and options. That is roughly 1,080 to 1,500 cups per hour at real-world rates. Above 30 cups per minute, a higher-speed inline line is the better choice.
The SDH-R uses a servo-driven positive-displacement piston, not an impeller pump, and its stroke profile is tuned for your viscosity at commissioning, which keeps shear modest. No filler can protect an emulsion already damaged by upstream pumps, so we review your transfer path. Freezing and temperature extremes break mayonnaise-type emulsions regardless of equipment.
Two-ounce portion cups sit at the low end of the 50-500 g fill range and are possible with matching tooling. One-ounce cups hold less than the 50 g minimum, and tubs above 500 g exceed the maximum. Standard cups are 4, 8, 10 and 16 oz; custom 2-32 oz. The SDH-R does not fill bottles, jars, pouches or sachets.
The SDH-R is food-grade 304 stainless steel with tool-free strip-down, an optional CIP system and a saved HMI recipe for each product. SKU changeover takes under about 15 minutes, but a full allergen clean takes longer and follows your validated procedure. Run egg-free product after a validated clean and verify it with allergen testing.
Optional nitrogen MAP flushing reduces residual oxygen in the container to 0.3-0.4%, which slows oxidation of the oil in emulsions such as mayonnaise. Actual shelf life depends on formulation, acidity, preservatives, fill temperature and film barrier, so we do not promise a number. Confirm it with your own shelf-life testing.
Often yes. Large-bore valving passes particulates, and an optional garnish filler adds toppings such as herbs or seeds. Particle size, viscosity and fill temperature are confirmed with our engineering team before quoting.
The SDH-R carries CE and UL listing and uses FDA-compliant food-contact materials; we say FDA compliant, not FDA approved. It is designed to support plants operating under HACCP, FSMA Preventive Controls, BRCGS or SQF programs but is not itself certified to them. Details are on our certifications and compliance page.
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