Mayonnaise is an instrument according to new study from Hellman’s

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A popular quote from SpongeBob SquarePants has led to some surprising research: scientists have discovered that mayonnaise can actually be used to create music.

A new study, funded by Hellman’s and done with Northumbria University, explored a question originally posed by Patrick Star in SpongeBob SquarePants almost 25 years ago: Can mayonnaise actually be considered a musical instrument?

According to the study’s interim findings, the answer is yes.

A team of researchers, headed by Dr. Rachael Durkin, who leads Global Music Technologies at Northumbria University, tested mayonnaise using the same scientific standards typically applied to musical instruments.

They determined that the condiment works as intended when used to create or change sounds.

Study finds mayonnaise meets scientific definition of instrument

The research uses ideas from Organology, a field that identifies instruments by their capacity to make deliberate sounds, not what they’re meant to do. When tested using typical standards, researchers found that mayonnaise actually fits this definition.

Music has always changed and improved through trying new things. According to Durkin, if you consider how instruments actually make sound, you’ll see there’s no limit to what materials could be used. He believes even experimenting with something unexpected, like mayonnaise, isn’t just for amusement – it forces us to question our ideas about music and opens up new possibilities for what it can become.

The research also mentions the Hornbostel-Sachs system, which is a widely used method for classifying musical instruments by how they create sound. Interestingly, the study found that mayonnaise can act in different ways – depending on whether it’s in a jar, a squeeze bottle, or simply spread – allowing it to fit into several different categories.

Researchers discovered that the unique sounds mayonnaise makes come from its blend of oil and water – a quality called an emulsion. They also found that touching or interacting with mayonnaise actually changes it, which is similar to how musical instruments work – they’re altered by the way we play them, and that alteration creates the sound.

Okay, so this report basically says it all comes down to how you use something. Like, if I’m intentionally using a jar of mayo – squeezing it, scraping it, pouring it – as part of making music, it’s not just food anymore. It becomes an instrument! It’s all about the intention and what’s happening around it, the context, you know?

Hellman’s turns study into playable track

To highlight their research, Hellman’s collaborated with musician Andy Arthur Smith, who created a song using only sounds made with mayonnaise.

You can now listen to the song “Mayonnaise Is an Instrument,” which shows how mayonnaise can actually be used to make interesting rhythms and sounds in music.

Smith described watching people create actual songs using mayonnaise as ‘amazing.’ He admitted it seems impossible, but it surprisingly works, and they’re adding a unique sound to music.

Researchers noted that mayonnaise fits into a surprising trend in music – the use of unusual materials. Throughout history, musicians have used everything from specially modified instruments to common, everyday items to create sound.

Artists have explored unusual sounds in many ways, like John Cage’s use of altered pianos and music made from everyday objects. Groups like The Vegetable Orchestra take this even further, building and playing instruments entirely out of fresh vegetables.

The report also notes that food isn’t just used in musical performances – artists like Ed Ruscha and Dieter Roth have actually used edible ingredients as part of their visual artwork.

Northumbria University is about to release a full report showing that mayonnaise, surprisingly, can actually be used to make music, thanks to scientific research.

It’s not unusual for food studies to gain a lot of attention online. For example, a study in December 2025 found that eating specific types of cheese might lower the risk of dementia.

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2026-03-27 19:24