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wrote:

> On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 03:00:52 -0400, Bob Pastorio >
> wrote:
>
>
>>Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Sylvia wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>>I don't think that it's as big a risk to their health as we might
>>>>
>>>>think if they don't have them.
>>>>
>>>>How big a risk to your children's health is acceptable to you? Sure not
>>>> every mayonnaise that gets warm grows poisonous bacteria, but some
>>>>does. There are enough risks to my kids' health that I can't control,
>>>>but by gum I'm going to minimize what I can -- and letting meat or mayo
>>>>get warm is one risk I can eliminate.
>>>
>>>WHY do you think mayonnaise is a danger? The pasteurized eggs? The
>>>oil? What? And why are any of us here, us precious cargo, who ate
>>>tuna sandwiches at lunch all the time.
>>
>>Mayo isn't processed for sterility when bottled. It's stored and sold
>>at room temperature. It's most assuredly not a good culture medium for
>>bacterial growth as the pH and extremely low water activity contribute
>>to a bacteriostatic environment. Mayo is warm when it's made, when
>>it's warehoused, when it's displayed in stores.
>>
>>It's the stuff served with the mayo that can grow the bacteria.
>>
>>Pastorio
>
>
> Recently, due to Hurricane Juan, I lost power for a week. Health
> Canada issued copious details of what to jettison from the 'fridge
> after x number of hours without refrigeration.
>
> To my surprise, mayo was not one of them, being a pasteurized product.

Quibble. The only part of mayo that's pasteurized is the egg. The
finished mayo is just the way the laws of physics makes it. No
processing after manufacture and no processing during manufacturing to
go any further than homemade.

> That is assuming you have not polluted it by putting a
> spoon/knife/spreader in it that has contacted other foods.

And here's the reason we're told to refrigerate it. Not because it's
inherently spoilage-prone

> Eggs after 8 hours (even though Canadian eggs usually do not have
> salmonella) milk after two days, even though it has not reached the BB
> date.

Eggs can be held at room temperature for days and even weeks. As long
as they're cooked through at service.

Pastorio

> I took their tip, covered the freezer with blankets and did not open,
> but I lost everything in the freezer. Most of the stuff therein was
> labour intensive rather than meat specials etc. - it was most
> disheartening.
>
> Sheena