On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 06:52:34 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 04:41:45 GMT, the inscrutable Edward Greeley
spake:

OK, Jeff, I LOOKED at a jar of Hellman's "REAL" Mayonaise that is in my
fridge which bears a "Best if used by" date of Oct 11 05. The label
plainly, clearly and specifically states: "REFRIGERATE AFTER OPENING".

The list of ingredients includes WHOLE EGGS and EGG YOLKS. Ain't NO WAY
I would use the stuff if it had been stored at room temp for any length
of time (say, more than a couple of hours max) 'cause I've had food
poisoning before and it's not a lot of fun.

See my other post with the link. All eggs in today's mayo are
PASTEURIZED and safe.

Yes, yes they are pasteurized and safe - but that's not the problem.
Mayonnaise (and many other prepared foods) can be stored without
refrigeration or special handling UNOPENED for years, because it's a
sterile environment inside the package. But when you open the jar any
germs or bacteria from outside the package can get inside, and
mayonnaise is almost a perfect breeding ground for bad bugs.

Same thing when you use it as a component in prepared foods, as in
potato salad or other salads and garnishes with a mayonnaise based
sauce. A few bad germs get in, and if the temperature is right for
them (in the "Danger Zone" between 40F and 140F) they go to town and
"are fruitful and multiply". Take a bite, and you'll be dealing with
'The Grippe' for sure.

Therefore the warning "Refrigerate After Opening". And the reason
that Public Health Inspectors are very insistent about everyone
following safe food handling practices and safe storage temperatures.
They have the power to force factories and restaurants to dump
thousands of pounds of product in the trash simply on the chance it's
contaminated.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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