Amal Allam wrote Sunday, December 10, 2023 04:00 PM
Experts warn that eating mold on nuts, grains, and apples may cause liver damage. Cutting off the moldy portion of hard cheese can be safe, but not soft cheese. But did you know that with some foods, it may be harmless to remove the moldy spots? According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”.
Don’t try this with bread
According to Dr. Richard Fox, a food safety specialist from the University of Greenwich, who says what foods can still be eaten, even when they are moldy, and what should be put directly in the trash, explaining that bread grows mold all over it, not just on the surface. .
The British newspaper “Daily Mail” said that foods that are clearly moldy or contain mold should not be eaten, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and this advice is especially important for people in vulnerable groups, such as children, pregnant women, and those over the age of 65-year-olds and anyone with a weakened immune system, explaining that consuming mold — which is technically just a microscopic fungus — can make us sick.
Avoid moldy grains, nuts and apples
Dr. Fox added that nuts, grains, and apples can be among the most dangerous foods that can be eaten, if a spot of mold is found on them, adding: “Consumers may have an allergy to mold or develop respiratory diseases if they are exposed to it,” and mold can also cause It produces toxic compounds called mycotoxins, which are described as “extremely dangerous.” Suppresses the immune system They lead to reproductive problems, and some have been linked to cancer.
“It rarely has acute effects, but it may occur over a long period of exposure,” Dr. Fox emphasized, explaining that soft fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, are less resistant to mold than harder fruits or vegetables, such as carrots. However, it is known that Aflatoxin, the most harmful type of mycotoxin, causes these severe complications.
It is produced by two species of mold Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus and can be found in moldy nuts, rice, spices, vegetable oils and cocoa beans. In large doses, aflatoxins can be life-threatening.
The newspaper explained that patulin is another fungal toxin that can grow on rotting apples, and if ingested it can cause “nausea, digestive disorders, and vomiting,” according to the World Health Organization.
Avoid soft, moldy cheese, berries and bread
Although mold is not that dangerous, it can still make you feel unwell if ingested. To make matters more complicated, Dr. Fox warns that the mold you can see on the surface of food does not represent the full extent of the problem. It could be germs. Mold has deeply infested the product, he explained. Mold produces microscopic, thread-like particles that can spread through food. Therefore, what appears on the surface may not represent the full extent of mold contamination. The softer the food, the easier it is for mold to penetrate its surface. Removing the mold from the block of hard cheese and about an inch around it can make it safe to eat, but blue cheese is safe to eat. Removing the mold from the block of hard cheese and about an inch around it can make it safe to eat.
For example, foods with a high water content, such as juicy berries, jam, or even soft cheese, encourage mold to spread deeper.
Bread is another culprit, as its porous structure allows threads to grow in it, meaning that when you find a small piece of mold, it’s likely to be present throughout the jam jar or fruit bowl, even if it’s only visible on the surface, but some types of cheese are safe. .
One of the only foods you can eat even if it’s moldy is hard cheese
“Hard, dense foods like hard cheeses or firm fruits and vegetables are more resistant to mold penetration, so mold can be cut off and the food consumed,” he added. To be safe, Dr. Fox recommends people cut off about an inch of food around and under the moldy area. However, when Using mold specifically to make a product, such as blue cheese, is safe to eat.
2023-12-10 14:00:00
#eat #foods #mold #bread #nuts #study #answers
