# My correspondence with Hellmann's Mayo



## Guest (May 22, 2007)

Hellmann's has been implying in their advertising that their mayo is all natural. I went to their website and couldn't find any information about what they put in their mayo. So I emailed them: 

*Does Hellmanns have any GMO ingredients? Does it have artificial additives? Does it have MSG or other glutamate flavor enhancers?*

Here is their reply:

*It is our policy that any of our products which may contain ingredients created through the use of biotechnology, be proven that their safety to consumers and the environment is fully established. 

Biotechnology has the potential to help meet the demands of people for everyday products that are more environmentally friendly; that involve less processing; that are more functional; that taste better; that last longer; that provide added nutritional benefits; that are customized to an individual's lifestyle; and that are currently available. Biotechnology is important to Unilever (Lipton etc,) because it helps our mission as one of the world's largest consumer goods companies to continue to deliver innovative products that our consumers tell us they want. Products resulting from biotechnology have been used successfully and safely for many years - for example: in the pharmaceutical industry. 

We are also committed to the provision of the best possible information to the consumer. The FDA has had a sound labeling system in place for biotech foods since 1992. Under that system, biotech foods must be labeled if they are found to be significantly different from their conventional counterparts, or if they contain allergens. This is the same basic program that safeguards the conventional food supply in the United States. 

Since there is no difference between plants or foods derived from biotechnology and those not derived, there is no clear reason to label either respectively. All of our products are labeled in accordance with the rules and regulations of the federal government.

It is our responsibility at Unilever - and a responsibility we take very seriously - to make certain all of our ingredients are safe. We believe biotechnology is already significant and that its development will continue to bring major benefits to society as a whole. 

Thank you for your interest.
Your friends at Hellmann's * 

I will never buy any of their products again. My list of "safe" brands keeps getting smaller and smaller.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

ladycat said:


> Hellmann's has been implying in their advertising that their mayo is all natural. I went to their website and couldn't find any information about what they put in their mayo. So I emailed them:
> 
> *Does Hellmanns have any GMO ingredients? Does it have artificial additives? Does it have MSG or other glutamate flavor enhancers?*


Couldn't they have just said, *Yes*

Don't like it when they big companies feel they have to explain their reason without giving you a straight answer.


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## countrydreamn (Jan 31, 2006)

ladycat
would you mind sharing that list?
I have to avoid MSG as it gives me raging migranes, but I also try to keep it out of our children's diets as well. 

Blessings,
Debi


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## hedgeapple (Mar 5, 2006)

good for you, ladycat. in the past, i have made homemade mayonnaise, but don't now because of the hype that raw eggs may be unsafe. i contacted the local extension office to see if there was a way to do something to the egg to take care of this but i got the standard line about never do this with raw egg, etc. etc etc. i have a question, though, and from your posts you seem to be thoughtful and knowledgable on the subject of food: i notice a number of the old recipes called for vinegar or lemon juice, so i wondered if this would help kill off any bacteria. then again, maybe it is overstated. what do you think? also, i started a thread once addressed to you but i doubt you ever saw it - i was wondering if you ever ordered from sun organic and what you thought about them. thanks.


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## teresab (May 25, 2005)

ladycat said:


> My list of "safe" brands keeps getting smaller and smaller.



Oh I hear ya'. Isn't it kind of funny how short the time is you spend in the grocery store......I walk in and am usually back out in less than 10 minutes because there just is so little I'm interested in buying. 

Now my co-op that's another story....I could spend hours there!


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## moopups (May 12, 2002)

http://www.truefoodnow.org/shoppersguide/guide_printable.html#dressings

This site is listed in the food sticky in the archives/links, enter and click shoppers guide to reaccess it from the links area.


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## Guest (May 22, 2007)

countrydreamn said:


> ladycat
> would you mind sharing that list?
> I have to avoid MSG as it gives me raging migranes, but I also try to keep it out of our children's diets as well.
> 
> ...


 My list is primarily organic, and I don't trust some of the organic brands.

The best way to avoid GMO's and chemical additives is to buy organic staples like dry beans, rice, flour, etc and make everything from scratch.

ETA I forgot to mention, Heinz uses non-gmo ingredients, but not sure if they use msg.


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## Guest (May 22, 2007)

hedgeapple said:


> good for you, ladycat. in the past, i have made homemade mayonnaise, but don't now because of the hype that raw eggs may be unsafe. i contacted the local extension office to see if there was a way to do something to the egg to take care of this but i got the standard line about never do this with raw egg, etc. etc etc. i have a question, though, and from your posts you seem to be thoughtful and knowledgable on the subject of food: i notice a number of the old recipes called for vinegar or lemon juice, so i wondered if this would help kill off any bacteria. then again, maybe it is overstated. what do you think? also, i started a thread once addressed to you but i doubt you ever saw it - i was wondering if you ever ordered from sun organic and what you thought about them. thanks.


 Vinegar or lemon juice should make it pretty safe, just keep it refrigerated and use it up pretty quick.

Sorry, didn't see your question before. No I never ordered from them, but I order a lot of organics from Amazon.com


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Ugh. Mine just got shorter too!


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

There was a cooked mayo recipe posted on here a while back. I keep wanting to try it, will let you all know if it works out.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

Thanks from me too Ladycat. I just bought Hellmanns mayo within the last hour. I should be able to exchange it. Georgia.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

About the lemon juice or vinegar in the mayo. It won't help if you have salmonella in the eggs. That is the concern with eating homemade mayo. 
This is some information I have :
Can Shell Eggs Be Pasteurized?
Shell eggs can be pasteurized by a processor if FDA approves the process. Pasteurized shell eggs are now available at some grocery stores. The equipment to pasteurize shell eggs isn't available for home use, and it is not possible to pasteurize shell eggs at home without cooking the contents of the egg.

I know you can buy pasteurized eggs in the store. So, it is up to you if you feel safe eating the unpasteurized eggs in homemade mayonnaise or not. I won't because I have health issues that I would not risk it for myself, but that is my personal opinion.


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## Guest (May 22, 2007)

newfieannie said:


> Thanks from me too Ladycat. I just bought Hellmanns mayo within the last hour. I should be able to exchange it. Georgia.


 Be sure and tell them WHY you're exchanging it. :angel:


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I feel comfortable eating my own eggs raw. I lick the batter etc...So I would have no problem doing it for myself, but if I won't even eat a cooked store egg....


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

I want thinking about cooked mayonaise. Eggs are the reason I don't like homemade mayonaisse - I can't taste the raw eggs.


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## Junkmanme (Dec 16, 2006)

Never yet tried Hellman's. Hit don't matter a whit to me....

Send unwanted Hellmans to:
P.O. Box 1423
Gallup, NM 87305


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

Junkmanme said:


> Never yet tried Hellman's. Hit don't matter a whit to me....
> 
> Send unwanted Hellmans to:
> P.O. Box 1423
> Gallup, NM 87305




sorry, i would but costs too much for postage from here(smile) 
Georgia.


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

"Hellmans" is branded "Best Foods" west of the Rockies.

I think egg pasteurization is a good idea if salmonella is a worry in your area.

My local egg farm tests their chickens for it and has never had salmonella in their chickens over the past 50 years, so I don't worry about it when I buy their eggs. It is a regional issue, some areas have a lot of it and others don't.

Here is an article about the egg pasteurization process. It uses only heat--nothing exotic like x-rays or anything like that.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/microbiology/9367


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Awwwwwwwww, maaaaaaaaaaaaan!

I used to love Hellman's. Well, I still love the flavor, but now I won't be buying it. Refuse to use Kraft, too.

Doesn't leave me much option.

:grump: 

Pony!


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I'm learning to make lots of dressings using EVOO. You can add just about anything and make a good dressing out of it. I'm learning from Rachel Ray on 30 min. meals. She does a different dressing on lots of her shows.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

...................Is this the same FDA that inspects all food ingredients from China and conducts extensive tests on all prescription drugs as well , LOL ??  , fordy


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## auctioneer (Sep 11, 2006)

Thanks for sharing. No Hellman's here either.

We used to be a Kraft family, but they've done something to it and it's not good anymore. That happened about the time they switched to the little plastic weird containers.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

hedgeapple said:


> good for you, ladycat. in the past, i have made homemade mayonnaise, but don't now because of the hype that raw eggs may be unsafe. i contacted the local extension office to see if there was a way to do something to the egg to take care of this but i got the standard line about never do this with raw egg, etc. etc etc. i have a question, though, and from your posts you seem to be thoughtful and knowledgable on the subject of food: i notice a number of the old recipes called for vinegar or lemon juice, so i wondered if this would help kill off any bacteria. then again, maybe it is overstated. what do you think? also, i started a thread once addressed to you but i doubt you ever saw it - i was wondering if you ever ordered from sun organic and what you thought about them. thanks.


I eat our own homegrown duck eggs raw. Yes, there is a level of risk, but I believe it to be low for homegrown eggs. Do your research and make your choices. I won't eat store eggs any more anyway - I hate what they do to produce them and they are not nearly as nutritious as the eggs of a duck or chicken that has free access to a yard. 

Sometimes I make my own mayo, I have to admit to a level of laziness and not really considering the probability of GMO products in mayo. Good thing to think about, very little of our "food" is worth eating these days, time to get my garden going!


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## DenverGirlie (Dec 22, 2005)

I got an email back like this from Moringstar Foods - makers of soy products owned by Kelloggs. I asked if they used GMO soybeans, looking for a simple yes or no answer and got back a long "lecture" on how GMO is perfectly safe, blah, blah, blah. I emailed and called them back telling them I would no longer be purchasing their products. A few months later I found an all organic version at Whole Foods.

I hate it when the major companies try to sell me on their sources instead of letting me make my own choice once I'm fully informed.


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## Wildwood Flower (Aug 26, 2006)

Hmmm...I saw that commercial for Hellman's Mayo last night on TV. It's very seductive. I went away thinking Hellman's Mayo was really "natural"...well, maybe in comparison to the ones who make mayo out of plastic. 

Thanks for the "heads up"! :rock: 

I too got a chuckle out of just how many paragraphs it takes to say "NO." Kind of like politicians, aren't they.


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## Guest (May 23, 2007)

DenverGirlie said:


> I got an email back like this from Moringstar Foods - makers of soy products owned by Kelloggs. I asked if they used GMO soybeans, looking for a simple yes or no answer and got back a long "lecture" on how GMO is perfectly safe, blah, blah, blah. I emailed and called them back telling them I would no longer be purchasing their products. A few months later I found an all organic version at Whole Foods.
> 
> I hate it when the major companies try to sell me on their sources instead of letting me make my own choice once I'm fully informed.


 Yes, I knew that about Morning Star. Same goes for Boca burgers, and another brand-I-can't-think-of-the-name right now. (Garden Burger or something).

What gets me is so many people buy a lot of stuff that's touted as healthy and all natural when it's NOT. So people think they're eating healthy when they're NOT.

V-8 juice contains GMO's, Campbell's soup contains GMO's and MSG, Health Valley brand contains GMO's. Tons of other traditional "healthy" brands contain GMO's and other unwanted ingredients.

That's why I research, research, research. And that's why I send emails like the one I sent to Helmann's.


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## Guest (May 23, 2007)

Wildwood Flower said:


> Hmmm...I saw that commercial for Hellman's Mayo last night on TV. It's very seductive. I went away thinking Hellman's Mayo was really "natural"...well, maybe in comparison to the ones who make mayo out of plastic.


 Those commercials are why I went looking. They do make it sound like Helmann's is a healthy, all natural mayo.


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

I got this same kind of answer from the Purina rep at a steer seminar we attended. Asked the rep if Purina used any GMO grains in any of their feeds, and got the run around about how 'safe' it was, how impossible it would be for them to discern one batch of corn or grain from any other as to whether it was GMO, and their concern for producing a safe, wholesome feed. Bah. I guess the only way to know is save seed, and grow your own. Jan in Co


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## menollyrj (Mar 15, 2006)

I seem to remember reading that the word "natural" has no legal meaning on food labels. It is a gimmick. Anything can be labeled "natural" because it isn't defined as to what it has to mean. For example, for a food to be labeled "organic," it has to meet certain federal guidelines, but a food labeled "natural" doesn't have to meet ANY guidelines...

-Joy


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## Guest (May 23, 2007)

menollyrj said:


> I seem to remember reading that the word "natural" has no legal meaning on food labels. It is a gimmick. Anything can be labeled "natural" because it isn't defined as to what it has to mean.


 That's the problem. But the FDA is currently working on a legal definition.


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## moosemaniac (Mar 7, 2003)

When my son was a baby I made my own mayo. I wish I had time to do it all now. I need to retire from my job, stay home, play with goats, and garden.


Ruth


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## DenverGirlie (Dec 22, 2005)

ladycat said:


> Yes, I knew that about Morning Star. Same goes for Boca burgers, and another brand-I-can't-think-of-the-name right now. (Garden Burger or something).
> 
> What gets me is so many people buy a lot of stuff that's touted as healthy and all natural when it's NOT. So people think they're eating healthy when they're NOT.
> 
> ...



Boca has totally shapped up their line. Most of their products now come in a natural formula of soy. It says on the packaging that the soy is organic. Not to "government" standards of organic as some of the herbs, spices, fillers are not organic, but I'm happy that it's organic soy now.


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## Guest (May 24, 2007)

DenverGirlie said:


> Boca has totally shapped up their line. Most of their products now come in a natural formula of soy. It says on the packaging that the soy is organic. Not to "government" standards of organic as some of the herbs, spices, fillers are not organic, but I'm happy that it's organic soy now.


 That's good to hear. At least it's a step in the right direction.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

A question - does the label "organic" mean that it is free of genetic manipulation? From what I've heard a lot of the soy is GMO, I'd rather just not have it in my mayo.


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## Guest (May 24, 2007)

GrannyCarol said:


> A question - does the label "organic" mean that it is free of genetic manipulation? From what I've heard a lot of the soy is GMO, I'd rather just not have it in my mayo.


 Certified organic is supposed to be free of GMO's. However, "organic" ingredients from China are often NOT organic (I've been reading that in the trade journals for about a year now).


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

Can someone tell me if canned fruit or vegetables are ok? Also are the GM fruit & veggies yet? Things lke green beans & peaches?

Thanks.


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## Guest (May 24, 2007)

Cheryl in SD said:


> Can someone tell me if canned fruit or vegetables are ok? Also are the GM fruit & veggies yet? Things lke green beans & peaches?
> 
> Thanks.


 There are very few GMO fruits and veggies. 99% of the ones you buy are ok in that regard.

However, a large percentage of commercial non-organic fruit and vegetable crops are sprayed with a growth enhancer called Auxigro (banned in California except for use on grapes). This adds glutamic acid to them, so that you might as well sprinkle msg on them when you eat them.

Also, fresh commercial non-organic produce is sprayed or coated with additives that contain glutamic acid.


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## ladyrua (May 26, 2006)

A few folks have mentioned that they've put together their "safe brands" lists - would anyone like to share that list? Might be helpful!


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## hunter gatherer (Dec 6, 2002)

ladyrua said:


> A few folks have mentioned that they've put together their "safe brands" lists - would anyone like to share that list? Might be helpful!


Mitch posted this link on the first page, but I'll post it again since you asked.

http://www.truefoodnow.org/shoppersguide/guide_printable.html#babyfood

Scroll up on the page to get the full listing.


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## keljonma (Dec 27, 2006)

Here is the thread for the cooked mayo. It is the same recipe from The Incredible Edible Egg website.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=143346&highlight=cooked+mayo


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## nikkers (Feb 3, 2007)

Just because it is NATURAL, it does not mean it is always GOOD for you. Lots of NATURAL things can make you uncomfortable, sick or dead. How about poison ivy, castor beans, toadstools to name some of the more famiiar.

The hype for NATURAL is a media tactic to to promote a product as safe, wholesome and pure. Hellmans Mayo is a case in point. I saw that ad yesterday and it me to thinking. It really sounded great since I buy it all the time. 

Today's original post opened my eyes. If GMO grain is so safe and beneficial, why do manufacturers and producers of consumer products take so much effort to skirt the issue? Could it be that they know by listing it on their ingredients, they will lose sales? The government is using secrecy to give the general consumer the illusion that the food they eat is safe to eat. The BIG producers pay LOTS of money to sustain this illusion. I think it all boils down to Big Brother knows what is good for you, be a good kid and eat what we give you and don't rock the money boat. 

Jo in FL

JO in FL


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

JO, you hit the nail on the head. That was the reason the BB used to pass a law that makes it illegal for non GMO products to be labeled non GMO. They have no doubt that people will buy the non GMO and they would loose money. The only way they can profit from their GMO garbage is to sneak it into the food chain. 

It would be pretty safe to bet the farm that anything made by Kraft uses GMO's. I used to have a link to a site that had lists of companies that were GMO free. I'll try to find it and post it here.

ETA: it was easy to find the site since hunter gatherer posted it in post #39. That's the site I was talking about. There are some other good sites out there too.


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