Are moldy foods dangerous to health?
Molds are very common in nature. There are a huge number of molds and some of them are even considered useful for food. The fact is that there are some types of mold that can be observed on a special cheese, on a spicy salami sausage. Green dots in cheese and white patches on sausages are the activity of fungi. This kind of fungus is a completely different kind than the one that happens on baked goods. Molds used specifically in the production of cheese do not affect human health in any way. different types. The function of such a mold is the preservation of the product and its specific smell. When using such a mold, products last much longer.
Some types of mold produce a mycotoxin. This is an element that takes part in the metabolism and can cause the formation of a cancerous tumor. But this only happens if you eat a lot of moldy food. With regular consumption of moldy foods, in addition to increasing the risk for cancer, liver and kidney disease can also develop.
Should I immediately throw away products on which mold has formed?
Do not hesitate to send moldy products such as cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, fruits and vegetables with juicy pulp (peaches, tomatoes, plums, etc.) to the trash can. This also applies to compotes, juices, on the surface of which mold spots have already begun to form. According to nutritionists, meat, meat products and pieces of bread are also worth throwing in the trash.
Mold is relatively harmless and has formed on a large piece of hard cheese, on a stick of salami or cervelata, on a loaf of bread. You can simply cut off a large piece from these products from the place affected by the mold fungus.
In products such as confiture, jam, jam, the degree of danger depends on sugar, more precisely on its content in them. If the sugar content exceeds 63%, then you can simply remove the mold from above. This rule applies to purchased products, and products home cooking in order not to risk it, it is best to throw it away.
You should also be careful with blackened or moldy dried fruits and nuts. If such products taste slightly bitter, then they are unsuitable for eating. This bitterness may indicate the presence of aflatoxins in these products, which are deadly.
In case you have any doubts, it is better not to risk it and throw away moldy products. But you should not panic if you ate a little moldy product. In isolated cases, the ingress of mycotoxins into the human body does not pose any threat to human health and life. Such substances only create a danger when they accumulate carcinogenicly.
How to prevent mold from forming on food
In order not to transfer products, throwing them away due to the formation of mold, you need to take care that it does not appear on them at all. Take advantage of some tips. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, bakery products should be bought fresh. Don't buy them in large quantities, use them as soon as possible. Fruits and vegetables are recommended to be stored in the refrigerator. After opening the juice box, use the juice within 2 days. Bakery products, spices, nuts should be stored in a cool and dry place. Wipe the bread box regularly with water, adding a little vinegar. When buying products, pay attention to their shelf life and appearance. If you see mold on any product, get rid of it or these products quickly so that the mold fungus does not affect other food products.
Stale products often present a surprise in the form of mold that has grown on their surface. Such a picture can be found anywhere: on a crust of bread, sausage, fruit, in a jar of cucumbers or recently opened canned food. Unusable - throw away, suitable - wash and eat. But is everything so simple!
What types of mold can be found on products
1. black mold. One of the oldest, most common and most dangerous, although some strains of this species are very safe for humans and were even used to produce the first antibiotics. Black mold is very unpretentious and readily grows in damp areas. It is one of the first to appear on products such as fruits and vegetables.
2. green mold- the enemy of dairy, fermented milk products, fruits and vegetables. The danger of its spread lies in the fact that fungal spores immediately penetrate deep into the product and infect it completely. At the same time, it is rather capricious and does not tolerate very cold rooms, and also develops well under conditions of high humidity.
3. pink mold. Virtually harmless to humans. It mainly covers food leftovers and already spoiled products, as well as improperly stored cereals.
5. blue mold. It is not dangerous for people. Sometimes used to make cheese.
6. gray mold- one of the most dangerous. Everything hits! Penetrates deep into products and is unpretentious in distribution.
The main task of a person when faced with the problem of mold growth is to notice it in time. Some fungal spores develop absolutely imperceptibly and only after many months they can come out, “decorating” the walls, uncleaned food in the kitchen and brewed tea in a cup. In turn, this trouble is not limited to the infringement of a person's aesthetic preferences, but can actually harm his health, turning life into a constant search for suitable medicines and vitamins.
How mold affects food, botulism
Forming on food products, mold affects not only their upper part. This is the main danger. Spores penetrate deep into the texture of a vegetable or a piece of bread, while remaining completely invisible to the human eye. Thus, a visually edible vegetable, after cutting off the infected area, remains unsuitable, as it stores mold that has not yet manifested itself.
Botulism is an extremely serious disease caused by poisoning of poor-quality and spoiled food, in which botulinum toxin was formed. The reaction of the body to a meeting with this substance manifests itself very quickly. After a few hours, a person may feel bad. In some cases, the formation of the disease occurs within a few days, but the complications from such a course of the disease are much more serious and dangerous for a person.
Botulism causes difficulty in breathing, causing severe hypoxia of the internal organs. Particularly affected nervous system. Deaths are not uncommon, and those who manage to escape from the clutches of this insidious intoxication can no longer fully regain their health. The processes of natural development are disturbed, partial and complete paralysis are formed, the functions of specific organs are lost, vision is lost, and so on. In this regard, objective attention aimed at identifying mold fungi in products is relevant for every person!
Special attention should be paid to the dishonesty of manufacturers and employees of grocery stores who do not properly monitor the preparation and storage of food products. Today, it is not uncommon to change expiration dates and erase mold from products before they are laid out on the shelves. A large amount of already spoiled food is used to make salads, grilled chicken or pies produced by the store itself. Be careful! Affordable food very often turns out to be hazardous to health due to the active development of molds and fungi in it. pathogenic bacteria. The real biological weapons are dairy products, sausages and meat, fish.
Danger of mold for the human body
In addition to botulism, there are still many dangers for a person in the use of mold along with products. Many strains of its various types are almost invisible and even digested by the stomach, but some of them remain in the body, causing slow but regular intoxication. What does this lead to.
1. Gastrointestinal disorders. If you feel that you are constantly sick, your stomach hurts, there is a disorder with the stool and digestion, general, albeit not severe discomfort, there is a possibility of mild mold poisoning. As a therapy, antibiotics can be prescribed, as well as herbal therapy - infusions, decoctions.
2. Allergy. Pay attention to how many times a day you can itch or find your skin irritated despite the fact that you are a well-groomed neat person. Rashes, skin problems, drying of mucous membranes, itching have become unbearable and regular? The reason for this can also be fungi, including molds. But the most dangerous option is when serious illnesses form against the background of primary allergic reactions. For example, bronchial asthma. This contributes not only to mold on products, but also in the room where you live.
3. Cancer tumors. Particularly resistant strains literally grow into the tissues of human organs. This causes local irritation and, as a result, the formation of tumors. They can be benign or malignant, but either way they are unpleasant and pose a threat to overall health! If you have never had a frequent incidence, but suddenly began to take more time off from the hospital, you experience pain in the liver, kidneys, stomach, you suffer from regular migraines, it makes sense to take tests to detect infectious lesions and the presence of cancer strains.
Mold is a microscopic fungus that lives on plant or animal food. Mold grows from tiny spores that are in the air. When the spores land on a damp food surface, mold begins to form. The mold feeds itself by producing chemical substances which make food unusable and begin to rot. Food rots, mold grows.
There are more than a few hundred species of mushrooms in the world. Most of them have a filamentous form, and reproduction by spores is characteristic of all fungi in general. These spores are carried by air, water, insects. There are thousands of different forms of mold. They are different for different products. For example, strawberries have grayish-white fluff, bread has white fluff that turns into black mold after a few days, lemons look like a blue-green powder, and so on.
Some forms of mold are dangerous because they cause allergic reactions and upper respiratory infections. Some forms of mold produce mycotoxins, which are toxic substances found mainly on grains and nuts, but can also grow on celery, grape juice, apples and other products. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) of the United Nations has estimated that 25% of the food in the world of crops is affected by mycotoxins, of which the most famous and dangerous is the highly toxic aflatoxin, which causes various diseases in humans and livestock.
What to do with moldy products .
The exception is mold on hard cheeses, as some cheeses are only eaten after they are moldy! For example, blue cheese gets its flavor from the blue-green mold in it. When the blue cheese is formed into a wheel, thin holes are pierced in it, through which air enters with a special type of mold that grows there as the cheese ripens.
The mold that forms on hard and semi-hard cheeses is non-toxic and safe to eat. You just cut off the moldy areas, everything else can be eaten.
Raw smoked sausage and dry-cured meat products are also not dangerous if you can carefully remove mold from them.
Soft cheeses, grated or cut cheeses with mold should be discarded. This applies to cottage cheese, processed and cream cheeses. Mold on them is toxic.
Throw away immediately, in the presence of mold: boiled meat, chicken, fish, casseroles, cereals and pasta, leftover cooked meals, yogurt, sour cream, jelly, jams.
The infected surface of vegetables - cabbage, carrots, Bell pepper etc. - cut with a knife no less than a centimeter from the place of mold and use immediately. Heat treatment is the best.
Soft vegetables and fruits: cucumber, tomatoes, peaches, etc. throw away.
Throw away bread, beans and nuts.
On the surface of the products, we see only part of the mold. It can penetrate deep into the products and removing part of the products only at the point of its manifestation will not lead to the safety of the products.
How can food be protected from mold?
While most forms of mold prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow at refrigerator temperatures too. They develop on both sweet and savory foods.
Cleanliness is the single most vital way to fight mold because mold spores from contaminated food can accumulate in your refrigerator, kitchen towels, sponges, mops and other washing and cleaning utensils.
If you find moldy food, do not smell it, but carefully transfer it to a plastic or paper bag and throw it in the trash. Check the condition of neighboring products for contamination. Mold spreads quickly in fruits and vegetables. Rinse the interior with baking soda water and dry it.
Store food in containers or plastic bags to protect it from a quick mold infestation.
Do not leave perishable food out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours.
Try not to leave leftover food for more than 3-4 days.
Today I would like to touch on a special topic related to the health hazards of certain natural substances that we often encounter in our lives. We are talking about mold that forms on food. What is it, how dangerous is it to enter the body, and how can it end for you and your children?
General information.
Mold that forms on products is not a pleasant sight. This formation not only leads to damage to the appearance of food, but often also contains substances that are very dangerous for the human body. In medicine, they are called mycotoxins (fungal toxins). This term is usually called special plant poisons, which are produced in various quantities by certain types of mold fungi. When they enter the human body, they can lead to a variety of diseases - both chronically occurring and rapidly developing and at the same time deadly. Mold fungi in nature, there are several hundred, if not thousands of species, but are they all equally dangerous to the health of children and adults?
No, not all strains and types of mold fungi can be considered dangerous, but only those that have the ability to release mycotoxins. However, it is natural that it is impossible to determine by eye which of the fungi have settled in your products, and therefore, doctors recommend that you never eat foods that have suffered from the action of mold, even very slightly. There are a lot of mycotoxins from fungi, more than 400 species are known today, and some of them have not yet been discovered and studied. There are several attempts to classify mycotoxins, for example, according to the type of fungus, their effect on the body, or the type of toxin itself. We will not delve into the wilds of medicine and classification with you, but we will determine which of the products are the most potentially dangerous in terms of mycotoxin damage, and what it will threaten a person if he eats them.
"Dangerous" products.
In the first place we will place such products as nuts (especially peanuts), as well as cereals in the form of buckwheat, rice, corn, and in addition - tea, coffee, cocoa and dried fruits. All these products have in common that they can form aflatoxins produced by specific molds. The main types of aflatoxins include types B1 and 2, as well as G and G2. In addition, the products of their metabolism in the body, which appear inside the body of animals in experiments, if they were fed products contaminated with aflatoxin, will be hazardous to human health. There are already many more such metabolites - they include M and M2, B2a, G2a, GM1, P1, Q1. These types of aflatoxins can appear in various types products in violation of the rules for their full storage. Sometimes, however, not in all situations, it can be suspected that the products are infected with fungi and contain aflatoxins, according to appearance this is detected by the presence of mold on the surface, or by the presence of a characteristic moldy smell from the products.
For the first time, cases of mass destruction associated with aflatoxins were recorded in 1960 in England, when more than 100 thousand heads of turkeys and birds of a different type were suddenly affected. In the same year, a similar epidemic broke out in Merka within trout farms. At that time, science was not aware of the detrimental effect of substances from mold fungi, however, studies have shown that the causes of infection and death of animals were contaminated products that they used as feed. This was taken into account, but in the future, despite the observance of all precautions, there were other episodes of infection. For example, it became known that in Malaysia during the celebration of a special traditional holiday "To the Gods of the Nine Emperors", 13 children died. the causes were portions of noodles contaminated with aflatoxins, which were offered to those present at the celebration.
Today, all developed countries are taking all measures to prevent such incidents. Products that are sold in stores today are constantly tested for the presence of molds and their metabolic products. However, damage to the packaging, incorrect storage conditions, and non-observance of the expiration date of the product can lead to the formation of mold on the surface of the products.
Why are these aflatoxins dangerous?
Aflatoxins can harm human health in two possible cases - if a large amount of poison has immediately entered the body, or if it has accumulated in the body for a certain period of time to a toxic dose. In the first situation, with the ingestion of a large amount of poison at once, there are signs of acute poisoning. In this case, the liver suffers the most. The effect of the poison is that it dramatically inhibits protein synthesis. As a result, toxic substances damage liver cells and replace their contents with adipose tissue. Such poisoning can develop rapidly, and within two days can be fatal. When symptoms such as headaches, soreness in the liver, convulsive twitching of the legs, impaired coordination of movements, loss of appetite and weakness appear, you need to act immediately. Children and the elderly, as well as those adults who have weakened immunity, can be especially affected by such poisoning, since they need smaller doses of poison and their body is less resistant to poisoning due to protective mechanisms. In the second situation, gradually accumulating aflatoxins lead to the formation of a gradual development of the disease. The liver is also the first to suffer. Aflatoxins will be characterized not only by the presence of toxicity, but also by the properties of a carcinogenic effect - stimulation of the transformation of body cells into cancerous tumors.
The harmful effects of fumonisin.
However, not only aflatoxins can develop and harm the body in these products. So, cereal products, especially corn cereals, are especially fond of such a toxin as fumonisin. This fungal toxin will thrive especially in warm climates. It should be noted that it is far from always possible to identify colonies of this fungus, for example, on corn, especially if the infection is at a very early stage. The fungus can affect only some of the grains, or colonies of the fungus can grow in the spaces between the grains of the cob. This leads to the fact that contaminated products get into animal feed, harm the animals themselves, and through their meat and milk, harm people who consume their meat and milk.
Why is fumonisin so dangerous? Animals fed fumonisin diets suffer liver and lung disease, although not all animal species will be susceptible to this type of mycotoxin. So, for example, cattle are not affected in any way by this toxin. For humans, this substance, penetrating with meat or milk into the body, is one of the strongest carcinogens. Although there are still no studies that would unambiguously and 100% determine the degree of danger of this fungal toxin, there is a certain statistical relationship between the prevalence of the fungus and its toxin fumonisin in the regions and identifying the frequency oncological diseases in this locality.
Therefore, it is not worth buying meat and milk in spontaneous markets, it is necessary that the products undergo a detailed analysis and receive a safety certificate. Even if animals in private backyards are not infected with dangerous infections, their feed may contain fungi and their toxins, which will affect the quality of meat products and become dangerous for humans.
Continue tomorrow.
More articles on the topic Children food and food"
Hello everyone, this is Olga Ryshkova. When you see greenish spots on the surface of cottage cheese, cheese, or tomatoes, you know you're dealing with mold. But many people do not know that it is hidden inside food products. If you find a little mold on your bread, does that mean you should throw out the whole loaf? Here are the answers to this and ten other questions.
What happens if you eat moldy bread?
Mold on food can cause sinusitis, asthma, and allergies. It can also cause a variety of less serious but unpleasant symptoms in susceptible people, including seizures, headaches, and nausea. Those most at risk are people with compromised immunity due to chronic diseases (especially lung disease), organ transplants, and after chemotherapy treatment.
What about moldy dairy products?
In September 2013, a batch of a popular brand of yogurt was recalled in the US after reports were made that it contained a mold that caused cramps, diarrhea and other symptoms.
If you or someone in your family suffers from an illness that suppresses immune system, or is taking medications that have the same effect, be especially careful with yogurt containing fruit. Some fruits contain natural yeast that sprouts in yogurt. Even if the fruit does not contain yeast, the combination of the sweet base and soft texture of the yogurt creates an environment for other mold spores. They can germinate overnight. Signs include a swollen container, discoloration and odor, and/or black or green spots.
Is the danger of mold on food real?
Some types of fungus produce poisonous substances, the so-called mycotoxins. The most dangerous of them is aflatoxin. It is usually found in cereals, plants with a high oil content - pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, peanuts. With repeated exposure, it can cause liver cancer, as well as a severe form of fungal hepatitis. This a rare thing because manufacturers are seriously monitoring their products.
Important: If you bought even a whole bag of peanuts and notice a moldy smell, dark spots or an unpleasant aftertaste, throw them all away. Do not take risks, if a large amount of aflatoxin enters the body, irreversible changes in the liver and death occur within a few days. A low dose suppresses the immune system, damages DNA, and activates oncological processes.
If you remove the mold, can you eat the rest?
It seems to be a pity to throw away food that has a few spots. It's tempting to just cut small areas mildew, but I do not recommend. Mold is a filamentous organism. It has long, filamentous structures underneath what you can see on the surface. Threads grow rapidly, especially in soft foods with a high moisture content.
That's why it's best to assume that the fungus has spread throughout the product, even if you can't see it. The same goes for bread. If a slice of bread shows signs of mold, discard the entire loaf.
Exception: It is safe to trim mold from hard foods such as cheddar cheese. Cut off at least 2.5 cm around and below the stain. Hold the knife so that it does not contaminate the rest of the food.
But there are blue cheeses?
White mold on brie cheese is located on the surface. Other cheeses, especially blue-veined varieties such as Roquefort and Gorgonzola, are riddled with blue mold. These cheeses are inoculated with a specific noble mold culture and while refrigerated and sealed, they are protected from infection by the harmful fungus for many months.
Why doesn't honey mold?
Foods such as honey, which are 50 percent or more sugar, do not have enough moisture for mold to grow. It is also unlikely to grow on very salty food.
How to protect products from mold?
Many people think that the refrigerator is The best way to prevent mold, but in fact in many cases the opposite is true. It is often necessary to store fresh food in the same environment in which it was purchased. If you bought berries from the supermarket fridge, keep them in your fridge at home. If you bought tomatoes at room temperature, store them that way.
By exposing food to temperature extremes and changes in humidity levels, mold growth can be stimulated. It's also important to buy whole, fresh produce whenever possible. The risk of mold is significantly higher in cut pieces.
One bad apple ruins the whole crop?
When you buy groceries in a box or bag, you are bound to find at least one moldy sample, usually somewhere in the middle. If you don't get rid of it quickly, the fungus will spread. Lay out and inspect everything, discard the affected.
Important: Berries are especially susceptible to mold because they have a soft skin, a lot of moisture and sugar. Berries bought at the supermarket are more likely to get moldy than those grown in the garden. Buy them in as many as you use quickly.
Can mold from a refrigerator door seal get onto food?
Mold that grows on the refrigerator door seal can eventually migrate into the refrigerator door. inner part. It is necessary to regularly wash the seal, the refrigerator compartment, the drawers, especially carefully if they contained moldy products. Check the internal temperature of the refrigerator with a thermometer. The ideal temperature in the refrigerator is +4 degrees.
If the door seals are bad, or if the air inside is not circulating properly, you will notice that the refrigerator is "sweating". High humidity is ideal for mold growth.
Is it possible to give chickens and animal bread with mold?
Mycotoxins are as harmful to birds and animals as they are to humans. In the middle of the last century, one hundred thousand turkeys died simultaneously from their exposure in the UK. Since that time, an active study of mold toxins began.
At what temperature does mold die on food?
The negative temperature in the freezer will keep the spores dormant, inhibit the growth of the fungus, but will not kill. Freezing below minus 18 degrees will stop growth, but will not kill either
About high temperatures hard to find a specific answer. The fungus and spores of various species die when different conditions, mostly at 120 degrees for 20 minutes. Standard operation dishwasher at 50-60 degrees the fungus survives. At 70-80 degrees within an hour, it mostly dies.
If you want to use moldy cheese for baking, the heat in the oven will certainly kill the mold. But it is not the fungus itself that is dangerous, but its poisons, and they will remain. Prolonged boiling will destroy the fungus, but not the aflatoxin. So throw away mercilessly.
Nothing ruins your appetite like mold on food. From it, your favorite food spoils, loses its taste and takes on a frightening appearance. How to save food? Today we will tell you why mold forms and how to deal with it.
You may have noticed that sometimes after a few days of storage, a fluffy green coating may appear on the bread. The reason for this phenomenon is the spread of mold fungi. If storage conditions are violated, their growth accelerates. This is facilitated by moisture, heat, and even a bread box, which can be infected with mold fungi.
Where does the mold that forms on food come from? It is a well-known fact that bacteria and viruses are present in the air around us. The situation is similar with mold. Its spores are everywhere: in the air, on the surface of plants, in soil and even in water. Just as a person with strong immunity is less exposed to viruses, so are foods stored in right conditions are less susceptible to mold.
Why is mold on food dangerous?
Some molds release mycotoxins that can seriously affect health. When ingested, they can cause poisoning or an allergic reaction. To avoid this risk, if mold has formed on products, discard them immediately. Do not use moldy food to feed animals: mycotoxins can cause serious illness. They can also be deposited in animal fat or by-products, which can later be ingested and harm our body.
How does mold form on food?
As we mentioned above: mold is almost everywhere, including in the air around us. Its round spores (conidia) can land on any surface, including food. Their growth is facilitated by warmth and high humidity. Under such conditions, food quickly becomes moldy: at first, spores spread imperceptibly, but after a few days, visible signs of mold formation appear. These can be fleecy green spots or, for example, a white coating.
Please note that if you cut off a visible area of mold, this does not mean that the rest of it is not infested with spores. In most cases, the presence of a small moldy area indicates that the entire product is infected. It's better to throw it away right away.
How to prevent mold on food?
Below is a list of steps you can take to protect your products from mold:
when buying food, make sure that there are no signs of mold on them;
buy food at the right amount and store it in a cool place - heat together with humidity promotes mold growth
buy only fresh, not “crumpled” fruits and vegetables;
when buying, make sure that the packaging is not damaged;
always pay attention to the expiration date;
finely chopped products should be well packaged. The large surface area promotes contact with more oxygen, which leads to mold formation;
fresh food should be placed in the refrigerator or the BioFresh freshness zone (in Liebherr refrigerators) as soon as possible;
wash dishes regularly, clean the refrigerator and bread box;
Moldy foods should be thrown into the bin or compost heap.
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