Salsa

Salsa is literally the Spanish word for sauces; in culinary terms it refers to sauces prepared from chopped vegetables, lemon or lime juices, and spices, with tomato-based salsa the most common type. Fresh salsas add bright flavour to Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. Because fresh salsa is uncooked and often held at room temperature, it must be made from clean produce, kept chilled, and used quickly. Cooked and acidified commercial salsas have much longer safe shelf lives. Commercial salsas are heat-processed or acidified to achieve shelf stability and food safety.