Can pregnant women eat store bought tarter sauce and mayonnaise?
May 2, 2009 6:06 PM Subscribe
Pregnant women are advised to not eat foods with raw eggs. I looked the the ingredients for standard store bought tarter sauce and it listed egg yolks. Is this safe to eat? Do all commercial products use pasteurized eggs? Is that a safe assumption to make?
According to the FDA, it's pasteurized.
In the note on this page, "Commercial mayonnaise, dressing, and sauces contain pasteurized eggs that are safe to eat."
posted by Houstonian at 6:22 PM on May 2, 2009
In the note on this page, "Commercial mayonnaise, dressing, and sauces contain pasteurized eggs that are safe to eat."
posted by Houstonian at 6:22 PM on May 2, 2009
FWIW people in general are advised not to eat raw eggs for samonella risk, not just those who are pregnant.
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 7:36 PM on May 2, 2009
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 7:36 PM on May 2, 2009
I recall a recent thread about food poisoning in which we discussed mayo being safer than it used to be, because commercially they pasteurize the eggs. Just nthing that it should be safe.
posted by IndigoRain at 7:55 PM on May 2, 2009
posted by IndigoRain at 7:55 PM on May 2, 2009
Yes, it's absolutely safe to eat (pregnant woman here).
posted by robinpME at 11:24 AM on May 3, 2009
posted by robinpME at 11:24 AM on May 3, 2009
Best answer: From North Dakota State University:
Myth No. 2: Mayo causes foodborne illness.
This idea has some basis in history, but doesn't make the cut from a scientific viewpoint. Years ago, people made mayonnaise from scratch. Fresh, raw eggs were the vital ingredient that held the emulsion of oil and vinegar together.
Since homemade mayo contains raw eggs, there probably were lots of cases of "food poisoning" or, more specifically, salmonellosis linked to mayo. Its reputation stuck.
After examining 50 years of research, the Association for Dressings and Sauces concluded that commercial mayonnaise is not to blame for foodborne illness. Commercial mayonnaise contains pasteurized eggs; the mild heat treatment kills bacteria.
Commercial mayonnaise also contains an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, and other ingredients, such as salt, that kill some types of bacteria and depress the growth of other types of bacteria. It usually contains added preservatives to extend its shelf life, too. After opening, refrigerated mayonnaise has a shelf life of about two months.
While salads often are linked to foodborne illness outbreaks, unwashed hands, contaminated produce and cross-contamination more likely are the issue. Making a salad requires a lot of handling.
Take some precautions when using mayonnaise and other toppings. When spreading mayonnaise on your sandwich, be sure to start with a clean knife so you don't introduce contaminants into the jar.
posted by Foam Pants at 10:48 PM on May 3, 2009
Myth No. 2: Mayo causes foodborne illness.
This idea has some basis in history, but doesn't make the cut from a scientific viewpoint. Years ago, people made mayonnaise from scratch. Fresh, raw eggs were the vital ingredient that held the emulsion of oil and vinegar together.
Since homemade mayo contains raw eggs, there probably were lots of cases of "food poisoning" or, more specifically, salmonellosis linked to mayo. Its reputation stuck.
After examining 50 years of research, the Association for Dressings and Sauces concluded that commercial mayonnaise is not to blame for foodborne illness. Commercial mayonnaise contains pasteurized eggs; the mild heat treatment kills bacteria.
Commercial mayonnaise also contains an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, and other ingredients, such as salt, that kill some types of bacteria and depress the growth of other types of bacteria. It usually contains added preservatives to extend its shelf life, too. After opening, refrigerated mayonnaise has a shelf life of about two months.
While salads often are linked to foodborne illness outbreaks, unwashed hands, contaminated produce and cross-contamination more likely are the issue. Making a salad requires a lot of handling.
Take some precautions when using mayonnaise and other toppings. When spreading mayonnaise on your sandwich, be sure to start with a clean knife so you don't introduce contaminants into the jar.
posted by Foam Pants at 10:48 PM on May 3, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ryanrs at 6:15 PM on May 2, 2009