12 replies to this topic

[Rizwan Ahmed]

is it safe to use the leftover onions?

how long it can be kept at chilling temeprature?

regards.
RIZ

[Jean]

Dear Riz,

I would say it is safe to store cut onions for a day or two, as long as the onions are peeled and cleaned well.

[Rizwan Ahmed]

thanks jean:)

but is there any technical data available or you have for reference? concerning the safety of cut onion and their usage?

[Jean]

Dear Riz,



Why specifically cut onions, after they are just like any other cut vegetables. Good storage and handling practices are important to ensure safety of any foods.

Do you have any reference or data saying that it is harmful??

[GMO]

With onions, there tends to be a pretty high micro loading and from personal experience they are prone to containing listeria.

If you're going to cook them, not serve them raw, they should be ok for a couple of days if chilled (ensure they're wrapped well to prevent taint of other products in the fridge). If they're going to be served raw, I'd suggest properly validating this as I think there would be a significant risk of Listeria in the finished product.

Unfortunately on this, the best data I think you'll get is from trialling yourself.

[Charles.C]

Dear All,

This is the kind of reason I avoid self-service salad bars in supermarkets. I hv watched the controllers occasionally top them up and then, eventually, bag the various remainders at closing time. Who knows how far the bottom of the pile will progress ? Worst case is where not many customers of course.

Rgds / Charles.C

[Jean]

If you're going to cook them, not serve them raw, they should be ok for a couple of days if chilled (ensure they're wrapped well to prevent taint of other products in the fridge).

Cut onions kept in the fridge are mainly used for cooking. I have hardly seen any cut onions kept in the chiller for days being used for any salad. Onions are cut fresh for salads.

[Jean]

I hv watched the controllers occasionally top them up and then, eventually, bag the various remainders at closing time. Who knows how far the bottom of the pile will progress ?

Dear Charles,

I am not sure how it is in other areas, but I am certainly sure that, no fresh produce will be added to old ones. They may top up the salad as and when it finishes but for sure the salad is from the same day of preparation.

[Jean]

With onions, there tends to be a pretty high micro loading and from personal experience they are prone to containing listeria.

I dont agree with this statement. Listeria are present everywhere in soil, veggies, contaminated water etc. why should the microbial load be very high on onions? How about cut melons?

I have inserted a link about onions, probably an interesting read.

http://www.tis-gdv.d...ln/zwiebeln.htm

[Charles.C]

Dear Jean,

Cut onions kept in the fridge are mainly used for cooking

You may be correct. I certainly hope so.

On another occasion near closing time, the various items I witnessed (cut onions, tomatoes, pineapples etc) all looked of such sadly poor quality that I deduced they had remained at the bottom for a large part of the day. The supermarket closed down not long after.

Rgds / Charles.C

[Tony-C]

I dont agree with this statement. Listeria are present everywhere in soil, veggies, contaminated water etc. why should the microbial load be very high on onions?

Absolutely why should the microbial loading be high on onions, after all the skin is removed on preparation.

If chopped onions are going to be cooked then 3 - 4 days in the refrigerator should not be a problem. I would always prefer to see freshly prepared onions for salads.

Regards,

Tony

[Kamwenji Njuma]

Dear All,

My stand is all vegetables would undergo browning at the cut ends due to enzymatic reactions.This can be reduceed by cutting the onions with knives dipped in a quartanery based sanitiser solution.

Regards,
Jeremy

[Rizwan Ahmed]

dear all,

thanks for sharing your views.

regards

RIZ