Mayonnaise - what's the real info?

[lakemirror]

So, I'm ready to make a batch of my southern potato salad the other day and I looked for mayo in my mother-in-law's fridge.

"No, it's up there" said my wife, pointing to a cabinet. There, indeed, it was....a jar of mayo at room temp, probably been there for at least a couple of months.

I nearly swooned, as Florida boys often do when faced with (allegedly) rancid mayo. No, I was told, this household does not refrigerate mayonnaise. I can deal (just barely) with the milk being left out overnight, I can understand prepared mustard and brown sauce in the cabinets, but mayo?

I know that modern food prep technology makes mayo safer than it was before....eggs are pasteurized, pH levels are low, blah blah blah. I am accustomed to seeing EPIC efforts being made to prevent dishes made with mayo from rising above 1 degree C. Most Florida folks would, at a picnic, RUN from potato salad or cole slaw that was not presented on ice in a dish designed to keep the food cold.

Is this just another cultural thing, or what? Isn't there a risk of bacterial infection and growth in any raw-egg sauce? I really do want to know.

[Chris__M]

Just as a reference point, I am a Brit, born and bred. However, anything in a jar or bottle like mayo, relish or ketchup tends to get fridged by me, once it is opened. Some of my friends think this is silly or weird, but I prefer my condiments without mystery additives.

[joker smoker]

I can asure you that this is not normal practise in England. Once opened ,mayo should ALWAYS be refrigerated. However for small family size portions I would recommend making your own ...in fact I won't eat store bought mayo at all

[Chris__M]

Thinking about it, you were lucky not to be given "Salad Cream".

[MadCow]

We fridge everything in this country once it's opened .... overkill at times with things like jams and chutneys, but still we do it ... however the one thing that I cannot bear to see in a fridge are fresh EGGS !!! Think about it, in the UK supermarkets the eggs are never in the fridge (unlike our US brethren who seem to sell them from fridges).

My chickens would be most upset if I put their daily produce in the fridge, they are much better left outside.

[lakemirror]

I was born to refrigerate, I guess. Mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire, butter, milk, the list goes on and on. Heck, I'll put my Marmite in the cold box even though it turns to solid.

I'm always walking into the kitchen here (at my MIL's house) and finding stuff left out on the counter overnight. However, they always refrigerate the hen fruit!

[MadCow]

Aaarrrrgggghhhhh !!!!

[All Weather Griller]

I'm fanatical about fridging things. I even throw milk away if I don't know how long it's been out and in many cases Claire has said it was perfectly fine as she left it out 5 mins ago (5 Mins is 4 mins and 45 secs too long for me). My kids are the worst culprits.

I too don't agree with putting in the eggs but it my house it is the safest place to keep breakables. I'm tempted to store my laptop in there on occasion. LOL

[lakemirror]

I'm tempted to store my laptop in there on occasion. LOL

Easiest way to cool an overclocked processor, yes?

Maybe if the fridge in my MIL's house was bigger than the dorm fridge I had in college, she could actually put more than 3 items in the cold box at one time.

When I get my own house here (when will that be, oh mortgage gods?) I will have a double walk-in refrigerator and freezer or might even do a drive-in or even a drive-through.....enough room for a forklift to come in and turn around and skid out sideways. Rack storage for pallets of pork butts, yes? I can dream, can't I?

Sorry, back to reality now.

[Swindon_Ed]

I'll put my Marmite in the cold box even though it turns to solid.

I find the best place to store my Marmite is in the bin!!!

I know they say you either love it or hate it, put me down in the hate it group.