Xref: utzoo sci.bio:3267 rec.food.cooking:18860 rec.gardens:4526
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,rec.food.cooking,rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Mayonaise (Homemade)
Summary: Eggsactly what is the problem here? :-)
Message-ID: <3845@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jul 90 04:10:06 GMT
References: <629@iss-rb.SanDiego.NCR.COM> <38422@sequent.UUCP> <1990Jul12.172710.9926@calgary.uucp>
Distribution: na
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 38

In article <1990Jul12.172710.9926@calgary.uucp>, parker@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Jim Parker) writes:
> > You can use just the whites, which, as I understand it, do not contain the
> > bad stuff that the yolks collect.

	What "bad stuff" are you referring to?

> 	I think nobody knows exactly what 'problem' we are talking
> about with raw eggs. I see only two possible:
> 	1. Salmonella- unlikely, but possible; killed by cooking.

	The low pH (typical 5.5) of mayonnaise renders it an unfavorable
medium for the growth of salmonella.  In addition, salmonella has a minimum
temperature for growth which ranges between 7 and 10 deg C; even minimal
refrigeration will inhibit salmonella growth.  Heating food to 66 deg C
for at least 12 minutes is generally regarded as sufficient to destroy
any salmonella.

	Spoilage of mayonnaise is most often caused by yeasts, such as
varieties of saccharomyces and zygosaccharomyces which produce noticable
gas in the product.

> 	2. Raw white, when ingested, prevents the body from
> 		absorbing biotin. This can cause a deficiency.
> 		This is what I think is the problem, and is
> 		prevented by ONLY using the yolk.

	I don't believe this is correct.  It is my understanding that
spontaneous biotin deficiency (which is quite rare) has been observed
in cases where people exist on a diet consisting *primarily* of raw
egg whites and *little else* for a long period of time.

> So what are we discussing?

	Beats the hell outta me...

Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"
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