death by mayo

I just found out that my mother does not refrigerate her mayo.  it sits in the opened jar on her pantry shelf.  Beckoning, inviting - bacteria.  She serves this to her guests and I am horrified.  BUT

But then I started googling and mayo may not be the dangerous slime we have all been taught it was. 

i am going to ask mr microbial about this at work.  (it is so nice to have scientists at my disposal).

by the by - my mother is not "elderly" but the older she gets the more bizarre the little things seem ya know?

I use real butter. I hate margarine and it's so fake tasting and smelling. I keep a stick of butter in a glass butter dish on the counter so that it is soft when I want it. I've done that for years and years and no one has ever gotten sick.

Dunno where you're at Madamq, but in the states, the mayo needs refrigeration.

Original Post by moonikins:

I use real butter. I hate margarine and it's so fake tasting and smelling. I keep a stick of butter in a glass butter dish on the counter so that it is soft when I want it. I've done that for years and years and no one has ever gotten sick.

 I DO THAT TOO! My Mom does that. Her mom does that.  And we're all still alive.  :)

I also leave pizza in the box over night on the counter so I can have it for breakfast at room temperature. I hate refrigerated pizza. I don't like reheated pizza all that much. But left over room temp pizza for breakfast is one of my favorites.

UK mayo is different than US mayo according to a few websites.  I don't know where OP is from.  Also, several sites say that it can be left out for up to 6 months when made commercially because pasteurized eggs are used.

I don't care how many websites say it is ok or isn't...my mayo can be found in the refrigerator.

Original Post by moonikins:

I use real butter. I hate margarine and it's so fake tasting and smelling. I keep a stick of butter in a glass butter dish on the counter so that it is soft when I want it. I've done that for years and years and no one has ever gotten sick.

I used to do this. But then my MIL, who lived with us, was told by her doctor that there is still a possibility for bacterial infection especially for the elderly. She said that the doctor said it had something to do with the way they make butter now.

Could have been that she was worried the cats would get to it, though. :)

Original Post by kathygator:

Original Post by moonikins:

I use real butter. I hate margarine and it's so fake tasting and smelling. I keep a stick of butter in a glass butter dish on the counter so that it is soft when I want it. I've done that for years and years and no one has ever gotten sick.

I used to do this. But then my MIL, who lived with us, was told by her doctor that there is still a possibility for bacterial infection especially for the elderly. She said that the doctor said it had something to do with the way they make butter now.

Could have been that she was worried the cats would get to it, though. :)

 I'd tell her to bring her own butter!! I'm a brat though.  Or I'd cut off a part of a stick that's in the fridge for her.  LOL.  Again I'm a brat. Don't take me too seriously.

this one place i worked at, we used to have to put the mayo on tables in little cups from a big jar.

the icky part, if they didn't use up all the mayo & there wasn't any other things like mustard in it we used to have to scoop it back into the big jar after sitting on the table with everyone's grubby hands in them.

When I was a kid no one put mayonnaise on sandwiches that were going to be taken to a picnic for fear that the mayo would spoils from not being keep cold enough.  Then somewhere around 1972 a study was released that proved that not only would the mayo not spoil but it would actually help to keep the meat on the sandwich from spoiling.  But I keep my mayo in the fridge anyway.

Original Post by moonikins:

I also leave pizza in the box over night on the counter so I can have it for breakfast at room temperature. I hate refrigerated pizza. I don't like reheated pizza all that much. But left over room temp pizza for breakfast is one of my favorites.

I leave mine in the box in the oven, but same premise.  I learned long ago (watching guys pull pizza boxes out from under their beds in the dormitories -- who knows how long they'd been there...

I always have a gallon jar of mayo on my night-stand.

Original Post by augustnkate:

UK mayo is different than US mayo according to a few websites.  I don't know where OP is from.  Also, several sites say that it can be left out for up to 6 months when made commercially because pasteurized eggs are used.

I don't care how many websites say it is ok or isn't...my mayo can be found in the refrigerator.

Why is it different? I thought mayonnaise was just a basic emulsion of egg yolk, oil, salt, vinegar/lemon juice and sometimes mustard. At least, that's how I make mine, and what most recipes I have seen call for.

Mine stays in the fridge too. God knows what is in the store-bought stuff if you can keep a raw egg yolk mix on the shelf.

Original Post by splitrail:

I always have a gallon jar of mayo on my night-stand.

 O_O;;

I don't keep peanut butter in the fridge, though. That would be disrespecting my Jif. :)

Original Post by kathygator:

I don't keep peanut butter in the fridge, though. That would be disrespecting my Jif. :)

 People keep Peanut butter in the fridge?

Original Post by michachu:

Original Post by kathygator:

I don't keep peanut butter in the fridge, though. That would be disrespecting my Jif. :)

 People keep Peanut butter in the fridge?

People wear tin foil hats.

Technically you're supposed to keep the natural peanut butter in the fridge, but I never do. You can't stir it up if you do.

I also don't refrigerate soy sauce or worcestire sauce either. I do keep my ketchup and mustard cold.

I keep used paint brushes and candles in the freezer.    

Original Post by trhawley:

Original Post by michachu:

Original Post by kathygator:

I don't keep peanut butter in the fridge, though. That would be disrespecting my Jif. :)

 People keep Peanut butter in the fridge?

People wear tin foil hats.

 My hat is aluminum foil.

Original Post by moonikins:

Technically you're supposed to keep the natural peanut butter in the fridge, but I never do. You can't stir it up if you do.

I also don't refrigerate soy sauce or worcestire sauce either. I do keep my ketchup and mustard cold.

 Same, same and same.  I keep my teriyaki sauce cold.  Natural pb would be IMPOSSIBLE to stir cold.  I've been keeping it warm and I'm fine LOL.