Onions and Mayonnaise

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Now I got this today and don't know if it is fact or fiction but it is worth a read either way as it does make sence at least to me.


Who'da thunk it------worth looking into

Written by Zola Gorgon - author of several cookbooks..

Watch out for those onions...
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I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, makers of mayonnaise. Mullins is huge, and is owned by 11 brothers and sisters in the Mullins family. My friend, Jeanne, is the CEO.

Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

The guy who gave us our tour is named Ed. He's one of the brothers. Ed is a chemistry expert and is involved in developing most of the sauce formula. He's even developed sauce formula for McDonald's.

Keep in mind that Ed is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you.

Ed said that all commercially-made Mayo is completely safe.
"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the quintessential picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade Mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the onions, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES. He explained, onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions.

You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator. It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hot dogs at the baseball park!)

Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put it on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I (the author) am going to be very careful about my onions from now on. For some reason, I see a lot of credibility coming from a chemist and a company, that produces millions of pounds of mayonnaise every year.'


Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.
 

FryBoy

New member
Not all true, according to Snopes, especially the part about onions and potatoes:

CLICK ME

The Snopes article includes quotes from Mike Mullins of the Mullins Food Company, who seems to suggest that the person who wrote original e-mail was a bit confused.
 
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Luckytrim

Grill Master
Gold Site Supporter
THX, FryBoy..............I ALWAYS have a piece of onion in a Ziploc in the fridge.................

BTW; I LOVE Snopes !
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
Gold Site Supporter
I seen a lot of misconceptions, from the first read. All them Venues, Hot Dog Stands, and homes, with sliced, chopped and diced Onions. I am sure the world would of been enlightened by this by now!
But- Mayo by it self? that was interestng to learn. You sent utter shock to the ncf world Joec. LOL
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Like I said I didn't know if it was true or not, hence I asked what others taught. It did sound possible though I sure didn't throw out the half of onion I have in a zip lock bag that I used half off last night.

As for mayonnaise I use Miracle Whip which has a bit more acid to it and don't have a clue how long it would last if not refrigerated nor do I care to test it out.
 

Peggy

New member
My Mom never kept her salad dressing in the fridge, although I do put my mayo in the fridge, but, we never got food poisoning growing up either!

I don't know how true or not this is about onions, but, I usually save mine in the fridge after using, and use again. But I normally cook with mine, I don't like them raw, so I can't really give a true opinion on the onions, although I don't think it's a good idea for any type of food to set out for a very long period of time. Just my two cents worth!
 

rickismom

Low Carb Home Cook
Site Supporter
I always save my sliced/diced onions in a ziploc in the fridge. Does this apply for green onions too??
 

Keltin

New member
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Me too! I've got a half onion in a zip-lock bag in the fridge right now. I always do it. I usually cook them though......
 

BamsBBQ

Ni pedo
Site Supporter
Me too! I've got a half onion in a zip-lock bag in the fridge right now. I always do it. I usually cook them though......

when i was first started cooking it was in one of those concession trailers you see at every festival,carnival etc etc... well the first thing we did was peel and put through a chopper 50lb bags of onions... around 4 of them each day... they sat out and we never once had any food poisoning... health inspectors would never have passed us if they didnt think it was safe...

so really who knows anymore..lol

its not safe to breathe anymore..lol

as for mayo, i didnt know that either but like when you make hot sauces, if you keep your acid levels around 20% you will be fine as far as spoilage goes... i keep mine 25% and no one gets sick
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
I was taught it was the potatoes....not the mayonnaise. Cooked potatoes are extremely hazardous. Now the thing about the onions I've never heard.

Have to look into that.
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
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That's interesting about the potatoes...I never heard that before.
 

joec

New member
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I actually had never heard it about anything other than the mayonnaise, but then I've only had food poisoning once in my life from Fish and Chips in London with it being the fish. No members of my family have ever had it either as far as I can remember.
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
I've only had it once and that was from the ham in a Chef salad at Waffle House years ago. As for the onions, I keep cut up raw onions in the fridge all the time to cook with and eat raw...I've never had any problems.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I haven't either but then I got this in email and posted it to see if others had found it true or not. I personally keep extra onion as well as bell peppers in the fridge for salads and on top of hot dogs etc. Sometimes I cook them but other times I don't and never had a problem with it at all. Now I don't leave them long as a rule perhaps a day or two.
 
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