The Cook wrote:
>
> "Priscilla H. Ballou" > wrote:

> >See, I've never understood this. I would expect putting things right in
> >the fridge would cool them off quicker and make them safer sooner. Any
> >danger, to my sluggish brain, would be to foods adjacent to the warmer
> >food in the fridge. But I've heard repeatedly to let foods cool on the
> >counter before putting them in the fridge -- for the sake of their own
> >safety. Tis a puzzlement.
>
> In the case of mayo, it is because the acid works on bacteria in the
> yolks and is more effective at room temperature.

Ah! Useful information that I can (one hopes) remember. So the "low
ph" reference in someone else's post was "acidic." I can never remember
which is low and which high.

Priscilla, edified