There are two types of people in this world – people who throw out their milk a day before the date stamped on it, not even bothering to give it a sniff and people who will drink it until it smells and/or tastes sour.
If you’re the former type, you probably don’t need to read this post.
If you’re the latter, there’s a good chance you also will cut off the moldy bits of bread or cheese and eat the “good” parts that are still left.
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Here’s why that could be a dangerous choice, my friends.
When it comes to trying to decide whether or not a fungus is safe to eat, there’s one major issue: we can only see what’s going on on the surface, and that’s almost never the entire story.
There’s mold onto of the bread, sure, but there’s also fungus making its presence known below the surface.
And it might not only be mold – amoebas can appear much the same, too.
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The mold’s roots can extend deep into the bread, with the hyphae spreading easily through soft foods like bread. Some molds aren’t harmful to humans, but others definitely are, and if you’re not sure what you’re dealing with, it’s always better not to chance it.
The “bad” types of mold can release mycotoxins, which can be life threatening to certain people, and in certain doses, according to the World Health Organization.
“The effects of some food-borne mycotoxins are acute with symptoms of severe illness appearing quickly after consumption of food products contaminated with mycotoxins. Other mycotoxins occurring in food have been linked to long-term effects on health, including the induction of cancers and immune deficiency. Of the several hundred mycotoxins identified so far, about a dozen have gained the most attention due to their severe effects on human health and their occurrences in food.”
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If you see visible mold on even a corner of one piece of bread, it’s likely that the rest of the loaf has also been infected. The mold has reached its reproductive stage, sending spores into the immediate environment – which, when we’re talking about an enclosed space like a bag, is extremely favorable.
So be careful, and make good choices.
At least bread isn’t too expensive to replace.
Yet.
