Ask HN: Why does NYC Department of Health think Babaghanoush is ice cream?

[nyist]

If a restaurant in New York City tries to sell babaghanoush in room temperature it will be shut down by the New York City’s health department. The sick bureaucrats who run NYC’s health department think babaghanoush will poison people if it is sold in room temperature.

I am posting this to ask the international readers of HN if in restaurants in their city vegetable-based prepared and cooked food are sold in freezing temperatures as in New York or if they are sold in room temperature.

Would babaghanoush spoil in the few hours that stays in room temperature before being sold? What is the modern authoritative source on food conservation that I can refer New York City Health department to update their antiquated laws?

[logjam]

Come on. High lipid foods like the tahini in baba ganoush are well-known vectors for Salmonella, and many different foods quickly grow Staph quite well at room temperature. Refrigeration limits bacterial growth and production of toxins. Even adding fresh herbs like parsley can contaminate with E. coli.

Thanks to the "bureaucrats" who do their jobs and keep food safe in the face of ignorance and antiquated food serving practices.

[nyist → logjam]

So say in 4 hours that baba ganoush stays in room temperature what is the probability of contamination? And do you know an online source to look up these numbers? And does anyone know if in other parts of the world baba ganoush is served freezing cold on a bed of ice?