Salsa and guacamole – yummy but risky?

Posted: July 12th, 2010 - 5:24pm by Sol Erdozain

Author: 
Sol Erdozain

I love Jimmy John’s veggie subs. I think the secret ingredient is in the guacamole spread-thingy. I avoid the sprouts though; not just because they’ve been linked to outbreaks, but I find they ruin the whole flavor chemistry.

It appears that now I might have reason to avoid the guacamole spread-thingy as well.

Research from the CDC shows that “nearly 1 out of every 25 restaurant-associated foodborne outbreaks with identified food sources between 1998 and 2008 can be traced back to contaminated salsa or guacamole.”
 

The risks might arise from big batches of the stuff being stored at improper temperatures, or contamination from mishandling the raw ingredients.

Next time I’m at Jimmy John’s, I’ll make sure I ask how their delicious guacamole is prepared and stored so as not to make any rash decisions about completely avoiding it.


 

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Categories: Other Microorganisms
Tags: Cdc, Guacamole, Salsa

Comments

Anonymous says:

From what I have observed, most restaurants do not wash avocados, tomatoes, and peppers. They are used straight out of the box. Cilantro, if it is washed, is rinsed with bunch still held together with a rubber band. Couple this with poor handwashing practices and in some states, bare-hand contact, and it is no surprise that these menu items are problematic.

Posted on July 13th, 2010 - 7:59am

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