Don’t make aioli, buy it instead
Be careful when you’re making fancy food this Christmas. In particular, don’t make aioli.
Food Safety Information Council (FSIC) has some advice for people: buy commercially made aioli and mayonnaise this summer to avoid food poisoning.
The problem, according to the FSIC, is that there are issues associated with eggs. And the greatest consumers of raw eggs are the 18 to 34 year age group.
Recipes for raw condiments, including eggs, can carry potentially deadly salmonella bacteria which can cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps. And it can be fatal for people with weaker immune systems or in young children and the elderly.
That can ruin anyone’s Christmas.
It means that uncooked egg dishes such as hollandaise; fresh mayonnaise, and aioli; drinks containing raw egg such as egg nog and health shakes with added raw egg, and steak tartare should be handled safely.
The answer, says the FSIC, is to take off the apron and head on down to the store with a good reputation to buy aioli or mayonnaise.
Authorities say there are 4.1 million reported cases of food poisoning in Australia every year. That’s the equivalent of one in six for the population.
There is a pattern in summer too. The number of food poisoning cases will increase as the temperatures rise over the next three months. The hotter the day, the bigger the increase in bacterial activity and the higher the risk.
'It is better not to make these things yourself because there are issues associated with the eggs,' FSIC spokeswoman Rachelle Williams told AAP.
She said people also had to follow some basic food safety rules.
“The most important thing everybody can do to stop or reduce the likelihood of food poisoning is good hand washing,” Ms Williams said.
“The basic rule is the 20/20 rule: you wash your hands for 20 seconds and you dry for 20 seconds.”
by Leon Gettler, December 5th 2016
