Mayo & Potato Salad (food Poisoning Info)

[jaapfries]

Very Interesting......

Written by Zola Gorgon - author of several cookbooks..

Watch out for those spoiled onions...

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, makers of

mayonnaise. Mullins is huge, and is owned by 11 brothers and sisters in the

Mullins family. My friend, Jeanne, is the CEO.

Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I

learned from a chemist.

The guy who gave us our tour is named Ed. He's one of the brothers. Ed is a

chemistry expert and is involved in developing most of the sauce formula.

He's even developed sauce formula for McDonald's.

Keep in mind that Ed is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone

asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always

worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you.

Ed said that all commercially-made Mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but

it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at

a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then

talked about the quaint essential picnic, with the bowl of potato salad

sitting on the table and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone

gets sick.

Ed says that when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials

look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came

from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as

it's not homemade Mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the

onions, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES. He explained, onions are

a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions.

You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion. He says it's not

even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit,

that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you

put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!)

Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll

probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your

sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist

potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any

commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I (the author) am going

to be very careful about my onions from now on. For some reason, I see a

lot of credibility coming from a chemist and a company, that produces

millions of pounds of mayonnaise every year..'

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

NOW, I DID NOT KNOW THAT!!!! DID YOU???

[kurnell]

Sounds like one of those emails that goes around form time to time eg. plastic bottles cause cancer

[dttk0009]

So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I (the author) am going

to be very careful about my onions from now on. For some reason, I see a

lot of credibility coming from a chemist and a company, that produces

millions of pounds of mayonnaise every year..'

Interesting, although this point would only make me more skeptical. I'd expect the CEO of a company to promote the product they're selling.

[cathyy]

I have heard before that it's not the mayo. I heard it was more likely to be the eggs in the potato salad. Onions contain a natural antibacterial in their juice, just like garlic does.

The issue with onions is salmonella or e.coli contamination of (usually imported) green onions, not sliced or diced red or yellow onions. You eat the outer layer of green onions, which is the most likely to be contaminated, and you don't with regular onions. Dude may know mayo, but he doesn't know onions.

[Scott]

Well, it's always good to know, as your wretching your guts out that it wasn't the Mayo that made you sick, it was the onions...or was it the potatoes....or maybe the eggs?

[trogers]

I have heard before that it's not the mayo. I heard it was more likely to be the eggs in the potato salad. Onions contain a natural antibacterial in their juice, just like garlic does.

The issue with onions is salmonella or e.coli contamination of (usually imported) green onions, not sliced or diced red or yellow onions. You eat the outer layer of green onions, which is the most likely to be contaminated, and you don't with regular onions. Dude may know mayo, but he doesn't know onions.

Yes, my japanese mayo in a plastic bottle carrying the baby pic is displayed on non-chilled shelves in the supermarkets.

Onions? No leftover in mine...I love eating them raw and cooked.

[Samuian]

- common sense - that's all... is needed!

We had on several occasions the dreaded - but wonderful "Aioli" - homemade Mayonnaise - the

horror of any "food-safety-agent" - in Tuscany/Italy at temperatures in the mid 30Celsius and higher...

Never ever had a problem!

But watermelon and ice cold beer or ice cream don't mix well... there are certain things, which just don't match!

[Crossy]

Interesting thread but not directly Thailand related. I'll move it to Western Food (county Mayo is in Ireland isn't it ).

[lazygourmet]

Interesting thread but not directly Thailand related. I'll move it to Western Food (county Mayo is in Ireland isn't it ).

s

Yes it is...

But mayonnaise is originally coming from Mahon, which is the main town of Menorca, in the Balearic Islands.

[verydumbubba]

The part about onions is garbage. My dog & I have been eating Onions, Garlic, Leeks, etc for eons.

He dont even have fleas. Mayo isnt food either - its 80% grease - nobody I know, even in Ireland - eats it.

Bubba

[Crossy]

But mayonnaise is originally coming from Mahon, which is the main town of Menorca, in the Balearic Islands.

At least that's one of the origin theories, others here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayonnaise (which also supports the non-spoilage of mayo left un-refrigerated).

My reference to Ireland was of course tongue in cheek just in case someone uses it as evidence of typical mod intelligence

[bkkjames]

But mayonnaise is originally coming from Mahon, which is the main town of Menorca, in the Balearic Islands.

At least that's one of the origin theories, others here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayonnaise (which also supports the non-spoilage of mayo left un-refrigerated).

My reference to Ireland was of course tongue in cheek just in case someone uses it as evidence of typical mod intelligence

and here i thought you were referring to potatos.

[noahvail]

Just a quick comment: I use snopes.com to check on lots of these stories. They're great hoax-busters. They have this letter on file, and it appears that mayo is not what makes you sick. It also has a further explanation from the chemist at the factory. http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/cutonions.asp The jury seems to be out about the onions, though...

[Ulysses G.]

The eggs in commercial mayo are now pasturized or it would make you sick if not refrigerated. In the past, it did make people sick sometimes. I would be vey careful of home made mayo!

[AyG]

Sounds like one of those emails that goes around form time to time eg. plastic bottles cause cancer

That's because it is! It's been circulating since March 2008 according to Snopes.

And there's no evidence to support the theory that chopped onions are a major health hazard.

[Beacher]

Wow, so store-bought mayonnaise isn't real food and onions can be dangerous. I guess I'll take them both off my shopping list. LOL

[sinewave]

i always keep half cut onions in my fridge uncovered then cut out the dried layered for use later, never had a problem.

I think its more a combination of juices from the ingredients mixing together to form a toxin...when the breakdown temperature is reached.

[cathyy]

I think its more a combination of juices from the ingredients mixing together to form a toxin...when the breakdown temperature is reached.

Tell me, do bacteria play any role in this disease theory of yours?