June 23, 2005

Prairie Fare: Is Mayonnaise Really a Food Safety Issue?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

I feel a little sorry for mayonnaise. It’s often accused of “causing” foodborne illness, but it should loudly proclaim its innocence.

Commercial mayonnaise is manufactured to meet strict safety requirements, and it’s carefully formulated with added acidic ingredients and pasteurized eggs. The acidic ingredients have a protective effect.

According to the Association for Dressings and Sauces, commercial mayonnaise is stable for long periods without refrigeration because of its acidity. For quality reasons, though, it’s a good idea to refrigerate commercial mayonnaise after opening so it retains its fresh flavor and consistency.

If commercial mayonnaise isn’t the culprit in food safety issues, how did it earn its risky reputation? Looking back in history, mayonnaise commonly was made at home using raw eggs, oil, vinegar and flavorings. Sometimes sour stomachs (and worse symptoms) resulted from eating these homemade concoctions.

The villains in these foodborne illnesses were most likely the bacteria in the raw eggs used as ingredients. Salmonella is a type of bacteria sometimes found in raw eggs and poultry. Infections with this particular type of bacteria can be particularly severe among the elderly, young children and people with compromised immune systems.

Common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps that develop 12 to 72 hours after infection. The symptoms can last up to a week, but scientists now link salmonellosis with a type of arthritis.

In defense of commercial mayonnaise, some researchers have found that most types of harmful bacteria die in commercial mayonnaise. However, don’t use that as an alibi for mishandling salads.

If commercial mayonnaise isn’t the perpetrator, what evidence should a jury consider? Sometimes it’s hard to tell what goes wrong in foodborne illness, but there are several suspects:

• It could be the person making the salad with unwashed hands. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
• It could be contaminated ingredients, such as unwashed produce that went into the salad. Wash all produce under running water.
• It might be cross-contamination in the kitchen. For example, using an unclean cutting board to cut up fruits or vegetables is linked to food safety issues associated with salads. Storing food in a bowl that wasn’t properly cleaned or using unwashed utensils also can be hazardous.
• It could be improper cold storage. Refrigerator temperatures should be 40 degrees or lower. On hot days, salads should spend no more than an hour on the serving table.

Enjoy some mayonnaise-containing salads this summer. Using reduced-fat mayonnaise can considerably reduce the amount of fat and the number of calories in a salad. This salad recipe is a lower-calorie, lower-fat version of a popular dish.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

1 1/2 c. broccoli florets
1 1/2 c. cauliflower florets
3/4 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
3/4 c. light mayonnaise
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine broccoli, cauliflower, cheese and bacon. Prepare the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour dressing over vegetables and gently mix. (This also can be made as a layered salad, with the dressing served on the side or drizzled over the top.)

Makes 8 servings. Each serving has 160 calories, 11 grams of fat and 12 grams of carbohydrate.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu

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