Author Topic: Refrigerating mayonnaise

Lainie

Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV





posted 02:57 PM Ick. Food crumbs in mayo. The worst is tiny bits of tuna in the mayo.



US and UK formulations of actual mayonnaise may differ, but I suspect Gayle's right: UK "salad cream" is equivalent to US "salad dressing" or Miracle Whip, not to US mayo. Some people here call Miracle Whip or other such mayonnaise-based salad dressings "mayo," which may lead to the confusion.



--------------------

How homophobic do you have to be to have penguin gaydar? - Lewis Black

Posts: 8322 | From: Columbus, OH | Registered: Aug 2005 | IP: Logged |

Quack

I'm Dreaming of a White Sale





posted 03:04 PM quote: Originally posted by Daciesmom:

Anyone know if Ketchup has to be refrigerated? I keep mine in the cabinet. I hate cold ketchup. My Mother-in-law insists that it should be kept in the refrigerator.



Crissy Ketchup does not require refrigeration. Point out to your Mother-in-law the fact that most diners and "casual" restaurants (Appleby's, TGIF Friday's etc) keep ketchup bottles on the table 24/7 along with salt, pepper, and sugar. The health department obviously wouldn't allow this if refrigeration was required.



--------------------

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." -Buddha

Posts: 32 | From: Bronx, NY | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

Purple Iguana

Markdown, the Herald Angels Sing





posted 03:31 PM My hubby insists on refrigerating ketchup, but I NEVER did in my whole entirely pre-married life. Certainly, refrigeration doesn't HURT anything... and it helps cool off those fresh-out-of-the-oven potato products... but it's entirely unnecessary.



--------------------

They just don't make crazed, beserk robots like they used to. --Sheen Estevez, Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius



If I manage to post something swipe-worthy that you would like to make your sig, you may do so with my blessing.

Posts: 2486 | From: East Stroudsburg, PA | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged |

happyholidaysfrog

Jingle Bell Hock





posted 03:32 PM quote: Originally posted by Quack:

quote: Originally posted by Daciesmom:

Anyone know if Ketchup has to be refrigerated? I keep mine in the cabinet. I hate cold ketchup. My Mother-in-law insists that it should be kept in the refrigerator.



Crissy Ketchup does not require refrigeration. Point out to your Mother-in-law the fact that most diners and "casual" restaurants (Appleby's, TGIF Friday's etc) keep ketchup bottles on the table 24/7 along with salt, pepper, and sugar. The health department obviously wouldn't allow this if refrigeration was required. Fascinating!!! I wondered about this the other day when I noticed there was no "Refridgerate after opening" warning anywhere on the bottle!



--------------------

~All we see or seem is but a dream within a dream~

E.A.Poe



Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.

~James Dean~

Posts: 516 | From: Anderson, Indiana | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged |

NobbyNobbs

Deck the Malls





posted 04:23 PM quote: Originally posted by Brett Wormley:

So I did the research, and confirmed it.

I would like to see the sources for that research.



--------------------

Back in the days before electricity, we were forced to watch TV by candlelight.

Posts: 229 | From: Paoli, PA | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

Rhiandmoi

Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV





posted 05:27 PM You don't have to refrigerate mayo, but warm mayo is yucky. It has a completely different consistency than cold mayo.

Plus once you start dipping your knives in the mayo you are introducing all kinds on little things for mold and bacteria to grow on. They might not actually grown on the mayo because of the acidity, but if they are growing on your zillion bread crumbs that are mixed into your mayo, that is still gross. I also refrigerate jelly for the same reason. The bread crumbs can draw moisture out of the mayo or jelly and cause problems.



--------------------

I think that hyperbole is the single greatest factor contributing to the decline of society. - My friend Pat.



What is .02 worth?

Posts: 8745 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2003 | IP: Logged |

Gale

Let There Be PCs on Earth





posted 05:42 PM quote: Originally posted by Quack:

quote: Originally posted by Daciesmom:

Anyone know if Ketchup has to be refrigerated? I keep mine in the cabinet. I hate cold ketchup. My Mother-in-law insists that it should be kept in the refrigerator.



Crissy Ketchup does not require refrigeration. Point out to your Mother-in-law the fact that most diners and "casual" restaurants (Appleby's, TGIF Friday's etc) keep ketchup bottles on the table 24/7 along with salt, pepper, and sugar. The health department obviously wouldn't allow this if refrigeration was required. Every restaurant I've worked at has refrigerated the ketchup overnight. Parmesan cheese, too. Posts: 4811 | From: Austin, TX | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged |

monkey

Happy Holly Days





posted 06:08 PM We keep our ketchup in the cabinet. My parents always kept it in the fridge, and I freaked out the first time husband put it away in the cabinet because I thought it would go bad. We ended up consulting a family friend who is quite high up the chain of command at the FDA. She keeps hers in the pantry. We figure, she helps run the FDA, she probably knows whether ketchup is going to go bad!



Also, fast food places keep their little ketchup packets out at room temperature all the time, but for some reason it never occured to me that you could do the same with an actual bottle of ketchup.



--------------------

http://sarahdwebber.wordpress.com/

Posts: 1490 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged |

Brett Wormley

I'm Dreaming of a White Sale





posted 12:17 AM Some clarification: my original post only refers to commercial mayonnaise in the US.



The pervasiveness of this myth even extends to major food manufacturers. To prove my assertion (yet again!), I emailed the consumer advocate at Kraft Foods. Their first reply was only to parrot "refrigerage after opening." But after pressing them further, they admitted that their mayonnaise products need not be stored at less than cellar temperature.



I can understand how and why the myth got started. The egg products in homemade mayo can kill you if you don't have sufficient oil. But mayo (in the US) is required to have sufficient oil to bring the pH to a level that doesn't allow bacteria to grow.



Years ago, my new bride and I came to odds over the perishability of mayonnaise and, after several months, came to a much-needed marital compromise. She first claimed that my family must have had an uncanny immunity to food poisoning! But after many months of data, she finally conceded to the imperishability of mayonnaise. And my part of the compromise? We have to store it somewhere, and we store ours in the fridge.



Cheers,

Brett Posts: 2 | From: San Jose, CA | Registered: Jan 2006 | IP: Logged |

Tiggeress

Transporting mynahs across sated lions for immortal porpoises





posted 01:52 AM quote: Originally posted by Brett Wormley:

Some clarification: my original post only refers to commercial mayonnaise in the US.



The pervasiveness of this myth even extends to major food manufacturers. To prove my assertion (yet again!), I emailed the consumer advocate at Kraft Foods. Their first reply was only to parrot "refrigerage after opening." But after pressing them further, they admitted that their mayonnaise products need not be stored at less than cellar temperature.



I can understand how and why the myth got started. The egg products in homemade mayo can kill you if you don't have sufficient oil. But mayo (in the US) is required to have sufficient oil to bring the pH to a level that doesn't allow bacteria to grow.



Years ago, my new bride and I came to odds over the perishability of mayonnaise and, after several months, came to a much-needed marital compromise. She first claimed that my family must have had an uncanny immunity to food poisoning! But after many months of data, she finally conceded to the imperishability of mayonnaise. And my part of the compromise? We have to store it somewhere, and we store ours in the fridge.



Cheers,

Brett Please prove your assertion for the first time here. So far you have posted the OP and a second saying you emailed Kraft but no where is there proof or a cite from you. So please do prove your assertion. You can cut and paste the email.



Tiggeress



--------------------

"mumpsimus,"  a person who persists in a mistaken expression or belief.

Posts: 215 | From: Virginia | Registered: Aug 2003 | IP: Logged |

Menolly

We Three Blings





posted 04:09 AM Yes, HC, a very nasty, bad, slimy-oily yellow. I would much rather attempt to eat the dark colored dried out Velveeta we get when the wrapper has slipped out of place!



:shudder:Not an appetizing color At All.



--------------------

Let's just pretend we're normal for a minute ~ New favorite T-shirt quote

Posts: 1193 | From: Ohio | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged |

NobbyNobbs

Deck the Malls





posted 01:51 PM Mayonnaise is made from eggs. Leave eggs in the cabinet instead of the refrigerator and see what happens.



Eww.



--------------------

Back in the days before electricity, we were forced to watch TV by candlelight.

Posts: 229 | From: Paoli, PA | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

Ms Congeniality

Deck the Malls





posted 01:53 PM quote: Originally posted by Horse Chestnut:

It may not go bad, but it turns yellow and clear. No way I'm eating that. Ditto! It LOOKS like it went bad...



--------------------

Queen of Confusion

Posts: 311 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged |

reflex

Jingle Bell Hock





posted 09:32 PM quote: Originally posted by NobbyNobbs:

Mayonnaise is made from eggs. Leave eggs in the cabinet instead of the refrigerator and see what happens.



Eww. They do that in Guatemala, and nothing happens. But by that logic, leave tomatoes on the counter for a few weeks, next to a bottle of ketchup, and see which one goes bad.



The point is, the ingredients in mayo other than the eggs create a medium on which bacteria cannot survive. Same goes for the ketchup. That's why, before refrigerators, humans used to salt their meats.



--------------------

The opinions expressed herein do not represent those of any rational human being and are solely for the purpose of entertainment.

Posts: 487 | From: Brick City (Newark), NJ | Registered: Jan 2003 | IP: Logged |

Lydia Oh Lydia

Happy Xmas (Warranty Is Over)





posted 03:16 AM I went to school with a girl for several years, spent the night at her house when we were in grade school, ate at her house several times. I distinctly remember eating at her house one summer after we had started college. I was shocked when she pulled the already opened, half-used jar of mayo out of the cupboard for our burgers. Another friend and I asked her what it was doing in the cupboard. She and her mother responded that they always kept it there. To the best of my knowledge, no one was never sick from it.



Personally, I refrigerate all condiments, mayo and ketchup included.



--------------------

"My name is the symbol for my identity and must not be lost." Motto of the Lucy Stone League.

Posts: 1815 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged |

ali_marea

The "Was on Sale" Song





posted 03:07 PM Still related to mayo, but not to its perishability... I'm with Gayle. I thought mayo was the same here and in the UK, but salad cream/miracle whip/salad dressing type things were different.



There's a giant difference between salad dressing type stuff and mayo, IMO. Miracle Whip and mayo are not even related as far as I'm concerned.



--------------------

28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. That is when the world will end.

Posts: 7158 | From: D.C. | Registered: Aug 2002 | IP: Logged |

Jaime Vargas Sanchez

Let There Be PCs on Earth





posted 03:23 PM quote: Originally posted by Rhiandmoi:

Plus once you start dipping your knives in the mayo ...you get expelled from civilized society.



Mayonnaise is used by everybody with common sense by using a spoon to leave a small quantity in your plate and using that for your knife- and food-dripping.



Jaime



--------------------

"Everyone has problems. They only vary in design" - Mama Duck

Posts: 4988 | From: Spain | Registered: Sep 2001 | IP: Logged |

Rhiandmoi

Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV





posted 05:19 PM quote: Originally posted by Jaime Vargas Sanchez:

quote: Originally posted by Rhiandmoi:

Plus once you start dipping your knives in the mayo ...you get expelled from civilized society.



Mayonnaise is used by everybody with common sense by using a spoon to leave a small quantity in your plate and using that for your knife- and food-dripping.



Jaime Well than that cinches it then, I am no longer part of civilized society because when making a sandwich I put the knife directly into the jar. And even use the same knife to make the second sandwich.



--------------------

I think that hyperbole is the single greatest factor contributing to the decline of society. - My friend Pat.



What is .02 worth?

Posts: 8745 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2003 | IP: Logged |

Keeper of the Mad Bunnies

Jingle Bell Hock





posted 05:13 PM Mayonnaise:



It seems to depend on who you talk to:



"Always check the labels on cans or jars to determine how the contents should be stored. Many items besides fresh meats, vegetables, and dairy products need to be kept cold. For instance, mayonnaise and ketchup should go in the refrigerator after opening. If you've neglected to refrigerate items, it's usually best to throw them out."



FDA Consumer



"Commercially produced mayonnaise is an unlikely cause of food poisoning. This is because it is made with pasteurized eggs, which are heat treated to kill harmful bacteria, such as salmonella. It also has a high level of acidity  from ingredients such as vinegar or lemon juice  which inhibits bacteria growth. Homemade mayonnaise, on the other hand, is made with raw egg yolks, which may contain harmful bacteria, and should be avoided."



Mayo Clinic (the hospital!)



"Commercial mayonnaise and most bottled salad dressings are what we call acidified foods. They are safe at room temperature even after opening, although most restaurants and the manufacturer want them refrigerated to preserve the freshest flavor. Mayonnaise and salad dressings have an acid level low enough that they do not support growth of microorganisms, unless they are heavily contaminated by a dirty utensil or mixed with other foods changing the acidity level. Mayonnaise mixed in foods such as in potato salad, etc. must be refrigerated, but the mayonnaise alone at room temperature is OK although flavor is better refrigerated. As a food safety point, pre-chill ingredients (such as mayonnaise) for salads to 41°F or below, so the final product is not in the temperature danger zone (41°F to 135°F)."

Food Handler



It is not so much a 'very well kept secret' as it is common sense. The normal adult in America will not make the differentiation between 'mayonnaise' and 'salad made with mayonnaise'. It is better to get them in the habit of refrigerating anything with mayo to prevent accidental problems. Also, homemade mayo should ALWAYS be refrigerated, so get everyone to always refrigerate any form of mayo.



Ketchup:



I store that which I use (in the squeeze bottle) in the refrigerator because I like it that way. The balance is stored at room temperature because it pours into the squeeze bottle easier during refilling.



James Powell Posts: 588 | From: Michigan | Registered: Jan 2003 | IP: Logged |

jimmy101

The First USA Noel





posted 09:41 PM Dang, Keeper of the Mad Bunnies that is pretty much a definitive post on the subject. (The cite from the Mayo Clinic is particularly good.)



Therefore, I must add a post to ensure that the definitive post is not the last post. Posts: 629 | From: Greenwood, IN | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

Steph

I Saw Three Shipments





posted 04:16 PM quote: Originally posted by Samantha Vimes:

Over time, unrefrigerated, open ketchup may darken. But it's still safe. I am glad that you said that... I left a bottle of ketchup unrefrigerated and it turned really dark. I got scared and threw it away... It was watery and almost purple looking. It wasn't left out for longer than a couple weeks, but that was too much for my brain to let my stomach handle... Posts: 56 | From: Sturgis, MI | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

kch8021

I Saw Three Shipments





posted 05:10 PM Anybody that has ever had food poisoning, I have had it twice, would not want to risk it again, by eating non-refrigarated mayo. The first time came from Macaroni salad at a wedding, I ate it, my husband didn't by the time I got home, I was dying. The second time I ate chicken at a restaurant buffet, in a hotel we were staying at. I was throwing up before we hit the room.



Kathy Posts: 87 | From: Burlington, Iowa | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged |

ILS

Deck the Malls





posted 12:17 AM quote: I can understand how and why the myth got started. The egg products in homemade mayo can kill you if you don't have sufficient oil. But mayo (in the US) is required to have sufficient oil to bring the pH to a level that doesn't allow bacteria to grow. A couple of clarifications. Oil does not provide the ph, the acid (lemon juice or vinigar for example) used in the reciepe does.



Homemade Mayo properly made, is just as safe, if not quite as long lasting, as commercial. In fact by leaving you homemade may out for a couple of hours before refigerating, increases the ability of the product to fight of germs acording to the "Mayo" episode of "Good Eats" on the food network. Posts: 287 | From: Sacramento, CA | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged |

ILS

Deck the Malls





posted 12:25 AM quote: Originally posted by kch8021:

...The first time came from Macaroni salad at a wedding, I ate it, my husband didn't by the time I got home, I was dying....

Kathy But the cultprit was probably not the Mayo. People think mayo has eggs, bad eggs can make one sick, the mayo made me sick. The acid in the mayo would not have allowed it.



The likely cultprit was the pasta. Again people think, "I can keep my pasta in the cabnette for years, it is safe in the pasta salid". But once the pasta (or patatoes for that salid variety) is cooked, it has become an ideal medium for bacteria to grow in if mis-handled.



The mayo is getting the wrap for something it did not do. Posts: 287 | From: Sacramento, CA | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged |

Angel With Wax Wings

Deck the Malls





posted 01:29 AM You can't NOT refrigerate Mayo. I've never met anyone who didn't refrigerate Mayo and that's probably because they aren't around to tell me about it. I remember growing up as a kid my mom YELLING at me for keeping the Mayo jar out for like 5 minutes. She filled my brain with all sorts of horror stories about what Mayo can do to you if you leave it out...so I shall be refrigerating my Mayo now and forever.



~Monica



--------------------

"Run for five minutes? Why don't you just shoot me now?"--Comic Book Guy (Simpsons)

Posts: 219 | From: Cleveland, Ohio | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

Menolly

We Three Blings





posted 03:49 PM quote: Originally posted by kch8021:

Anybody that has ever had food poisoning, I have had it twice, would not want to risk it again, by eating non-refrigarated mayo. The first time came from Macaroni salad at a wedding, I ate it, my husband didn't by the time I got home, I was dying. The second time I ate chicken at a restaurant buffet, in a hotel we were staying at. I was throwing up before we hit the room.



Kathy The adage "once bitten, twice shy" comes to mind. Been there, hugged the toilet. This is not something anyone wants to go through (3 times here, all from restaurants)! We are very careful to keep things in our refrigerator if the label states refrigerate after opening. We use Miracle Whip.



And welcome to the Board, Kathy!



--------------------

Let's just pretend we're normal for a minute ~ New favorite T-shirt quote

Posts: 1193 | From: Ohio | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged |

Seaboe Muffinchucker

Let There Be PCs on Earth





posted 03:51 PM quote: Originally posted by Angel With Wax Wings:

You can't NOT refrigerate Mayo. I've never met anyone who didn't refrigerate Mayo and that's probably because they aren't around to tell me about it. I remember growing up as a kid my mom YELLING at me for keeping the Mayo jar out for like 5 minutes. She filled my brain with all sorts of horror stories about what Mayo can do to you if you leave it out...so I shall be refrigerating my Mayo now and forever.



~Monica So, even if you were shown scientific proof positive that unrefrigerated mayo is not dangerous, you would continue to insist that people refrigerate it?



I can understand why, after the trauma of your childhood ( ), you would refrigerate mayo. I don't understand why, in the face of proof that mayo is not dangerous, you would persist in believing everyone should refrigerate mayo.



Seaboe



--------------------

Education is not the filling of a hard drive, but the lighting of a bulb. -- Yeats via Esprise Me

Posts: 5562 | From: Seattle, WA | Registered: Jun 2005 | IP: Logged |

tagurit

Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV





posted 04:33 PM quote: Originally posted by Tiggeress:

quote: Originally posted by Brett Wormley:

~~snip~~

Please prove your assertion for the first time here. So far you have posted the OP and a second saying you emailed Kraft but no where is there proof or a cite from you. So please do prove your assertion. You can cut and paste the email.



Tiggeress It would seem that Kathy B has offered all the proof one might need, though if that's not enough for you, try Mad Bunnies' post. Or, am I mistaken and you're insisting the proof come directly from Brett? If so, my apologies for butting in.



--------------------

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

---

AAMAH

Posts: 8532 | From: Michigan | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged |

jimmy101

The First USA Noel





posted 05:05 PM Did anybody actually read Mad Bunnies' post? Pure mayo is fine at room temp, end of story. Mayo that has been mixed with anything is not fine at room temp.



Mayo and ketchup are similar. Both contain vinegar (or other acids) that are very effective at stopping bacterial and mold growth. Take a cup of either and mix it with a bunch of chicken and other stuff then let it sit at room temp for a while. Eat, worship the porcelin god. Posts: 629 | From: Greenwood, IN | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged |

ILS

Deck the Malls





posted 06:36 PM quote: Originally posted by jimmy101:

... Take a cup of either and mix it with a bunch of chicken and other stuff then let it sit at room temp for a while. Eat, worship the porcelin god. Just to play with the possibilities. Take the mayo and/or catsup mix with chicken or other protein rich food that has been mishandled and left out for a couple of hours then refrigurate the mixture.



Similar results can happen. Posts: 287 | From: Sacramento, CA | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged |