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Food poisoning:
Mayonnaise to the rescue!
After generations of motherly warnings about the dangers of leaving mayonnaise-prepared foods in the heat too long, finally, vindication!
A study published in the Journal of Food Protection found that commercial mayonnaise may actually protect us from chicken or ham, for example, contaminated by salmonella or staph bacteria.
Commercially-produced mayonnaise is made with vinegar, making the environment too inhospitable for certain germs to grow. When mixed with foods like chicken or ham (friendlier mediums for such germs as salmonella) the mayonnaise seemed to slow or halt altogether the growth of these micro-organisms. The more mayonnaise used, the slower the growth.
When the temperature was increased to mimic summer picnic conditions, the presence of salmonella and staph grew, but not at the rate of those samples that were mayonnaise-free.
While U.S. health agencies continue to search for the current salmonella villain—tomatoes, green onions or jalapenos—this dollop of good news is worth celebrating.
But, the old rules still apply: no food should be left even at room temperature longer than two hours.
To stay safe, follow this simple tip: keep cold food cold and hot food hot.
