Posted in: Music, Nerd Food, Pop Culture | Tagged: Andy Arthur-Smith, Dr. Rachael Durkin, Hellmann’s, Mayonnaise, Northumbria University

Hellmann's Manages To Get Mayonnaise Classified As An Instrument

Hellmann’s has helped break through the next step of playing with your food as they got mayonnaise classified as a musical instrument

Published Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:32:09 -0500

by Gavin Sheehan

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Article Summary

Hellmann’s has successfully classified mayonnaise as a musical instrument through academic research.
Collaboration with Dr. Rachael Durkin explored mayo's potential for sound creation and music composition.
Music creator Andy Arthur Smith made an original track using only mayonnaise-generated sounds.
The project challenges traditional ideas about instruments, sparking creativity in music-making.

Hellmann's decided to do something odd but fun with their mayo, as they have managed to get mayonnaise classified as a musical instrument. Working with Dr. Rachael Durkin, Head of Global Music Technologies at Northumbria University, and social media creator Andy Arthur-Smith, a study was conducted in which they were able to definitely say you can make music with mayo. You can read more about the study below as the findings will eventually be published in a full report from Northumbria University online.

Hellmann's Manages To Get Mayonnaise Classified As An Instrument — Credit: Hellmann's

Sounds Like It's Time To Record The Beatles Song "Yesterday" With Hellmann's Mayo

Working with Dr. Rachael Durkin, Head of Global Music Technologies at Northumbria University, and her team of experts, Hellmann's is putting the question to the test. Drawing on expertise in organology, the study of musical instruments, alongside acoustics and musicology, the research delivers a clear, evidence-based verdict. What began as an internet meme is now a full academic study. The verdict: mayonnaise can function as an instrument.

To bring this to life, musicians, creators and collaborators, alongside a wider community of fans, are taking mayonnaise beyond the kitchen, using it to generate sound and build original compositions, putting its musical potential to the test. From dolloping and squeezing to drumming and plucking, mayonnaise is being used in a variety of ways to generate sound, turning a kitchen staple into something altogether more musical.

Creator Andy Arthur Smith, a music creator with over six million followers across social platforms, is known for his experimental approach to sound and viral content that pushes the boundaries of music-making. He has collaborated with Hellmann's to create an original track, 'Mayonnaise Is an Instrument', composed entirely from mayonnaise-generated sounds, helping to reignite the debate.

"It's a question that's been around for years, but no one's really tried to answer it properly, said Andy Arthur Smith. "Seeing people actually make music with mayonnaise and turning it into a real track has been wild. It shouldn't work, but somehow it does -We're bringing a new texture to music!"

"Music has always evolved through experimentation," said Dr. Rachael Durkin. "When you look at the core principles of how instruments create sound, you realise the possibilities for unconventional materials are endless. Exploring something like mayonnaise isn't just about fun; it challenges our assumptions and invites us to think far more creatively about what music can be."

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