I accidentally left potato salad sitting out for 4 hours on my kitchen counter. Is it still okay to eat? I'm concerned about the mayo turning bad.
2006-10-03 15:01:58 · 22 answers · asked by julielove327 5 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
Supposedly it doesn't but I would throw the potato salad away and start over.
2006-10-03 15:03:45 · answer #1 · answered by WendyD1999 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For decades, mayonnaise has been blamed for salmonella in potato, pasta and meat salads. To the contrary, University of Georgia food scientists have found that commercially-prepared mayonnaise actually reduces the amount of salmonella in foods.
advertisement
Food scientists at the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety, working with their counterparts at the University of Wisconsin, studied salmonella and commercially-produced mayonnaise.
Cases of salmonellosis linked to mayonnaise have most often occurred in Europe where homemade mayonnaise is commonly used. Europeans often make homemade mayonnaise using eggs and oil, but not enough vinegar.
The eggs are unpasteurized, and the mayonnaise lacks the important acid content that vinegar provides.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of acid mayonnaise makers must add to their products. This acid comes from the vinegar and lemon or lime juice.
Once these ingredients are emulsified, the final product's pH, water activity, and sodium chloride content create a hostile environment for harmful bacteria. As a result, salmonella can't survive in commercial mayonnaise.
However, once mayonnaise is blended with other foods, like the ingredients for potato, pasta, or chicken salad, that's when bacteria begin to grow.
In lab tests, the food scientists added mayonnaise to foods inoculated with salmonella. The number of salmonella cells declined immediately after the bacteria was added to either chicken or ham salad that contained commercial mayonnaise.
Refrigerating the salads kept salmonella from growing, too. Neither the ham nor the chicken salad had increased numbers of salmonella cells up to 24 hours after refrigeration. The meat salads also were tested at room temperature. After five hours, both showed "relatively little growth" of salmonella cells.
Further tests showed that salmonella growth slows as the amount of mayonnaise is increased.
Overall, the research has shown that mayonnaise helps slow the growth of salmonella in most meats and poultry. Mayonnaise reduces the rate at which these bacteria can grow.
However, it is best not to hold perishable foods, even those that contain commercial mayonnaise, at room temperature for more than two hours. Mayonnaise will not maintain its acidity level very well over time when mixed with other less acid foods like meats, poultry, eggs or potatoes. Bacteria can begin to multiply if these foods are allowed to remain between 40 and 140 degrees. Always keep salads such as these at refrigerator temperature.
For safety and the best quality, refrigerate the mayonnaise, too.
2006-10-03 23:04:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No, No, No - unless you want to spend a couple of days with a case of food poisoning! Mayo based salads should only be left out for an hour max - anything longer than that & your are courting disaster!!
2006-10-03 22:05:33 · answer #3 · answered by sandypaws 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
If you are concerned don't eat it. Also if you were concerned why did you leave the potato salad on the kitchen counter in the first place?
2006-10-03 22:09:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I would eat it but, then I've got a cast iron stomach.
I've never gotten sick from leaving things out a little longer then they sould have been and noone I know has either.
I think it's an old wife's tale. I think it's a waste of food.
I eat cheese that has a little mold on it, I just cut the mold off, it's fine. ( notice I said a little mold )
2006-10-03 22:20:15 · answer #5 · answered by Suzie K 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The time limit for food to set out is only 4 hours. Then the health inspectors says we have to throw it out. I have a thermometer and check to see if its at a safe temp
2006-10-03 22:05:51 · answer #6 · answered by mom363546 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
mayonnaise contains eggs...
and eggs are at the high risk of contamination ..
so anything left outside must not be consumed..
remember the four hour rule for food safety..
2006-10-03 22:20:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
most likely mayo has turned bad
2006-10-04 01:33:06 · answer #8 · answered by walterknowsall 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would throw it out. That's too long to be sitting out at room temperature.
2006-10-03 22:09:47 · answer #9 · answered by First Lady 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
my mom a chef, told me this too many years ago, if in doubt, toss it out. food poisoning is not pleasant in the least. i will never
eat at a buffet bar again (just my opinion).
2006-10-03 22:15:57 · answer #10 · answered by barrbou214 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋