Throwing moldy food is a waste. Can I cut off the moldy parts and eat it? Is there no problem if it is cooked? What if I accidentally eat moldy food? Let the toxicologists answer these questions that you will encounter in life.
Be careful! These foods are prone to mold
Molds are widely found in nature, and there are many types. Some can be used to make soy sauce, miso and wine, and some can make people sick and carcinogenic. They like warm, humid environments, such as kitchens. And food is an ideal place to grow mold.
Mold can grow on almost all foods, especially foods with high water content. Some molds will also settle on dry, sugary foods, such as chocolate.
Common foods that are prone to mold are:
Fruits and vegetables: strawberries, blueberries, grapes, oranges, papaya, apples, tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, yams, etc.
Bread, toast: especially bread without preservatives.
Dairy products, meat: soft cheese, hard cheese, milk, processed meat products (sausage, bacon, jerky).
Others: peanuts, dried food, food after opening the sealed package.
Can you eat the moldy parts of food? It takes 1 more step to discard moldy food
What if the food gets moldy? Some people may cut off the moldy parts before eating, or heat and cook the leftover parts.
The US health website "Healthline" also stated that soft foods such as strawberries, bread, jams must be discarded after mold, but hard foods, such as radishes, hard cheeses, etc., can be removed from the moldy area and around 2.5 cm. Eat again. The reason is that in soft foods, mycelium can easily grow deep, while hard or dense foods are not easily penetrated by mold.
"But I think this is quite dangerous," said Yan Zonghai, director of the Toxicology Department of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou. Because some mycelium cannot be seen or smelled, it is difficult to handle. "The best way is to throw it away."
Not only will the mycelium grow deep into the food, but also the spores will be scattered everywhere. You can't eat the following four kinds of food:
1. Throw away moldy food itself.
2. The whole bag or basket of food should be discarded if part of it becomes moldy, because it may be contaminated by spores.
3. If a bag of shelled nuts, such as peanuts, is locally mouldy, it means that the whole bag is not well preserved. Even if it is sealed with shells, it is not suitable for consumption and should be thrown away.
4. Sometimes it may be difficult to detect whether the food is moldy, but if there is a peculiar smell or abnormal touch, it means that it has gone bad, so don't eat it.
Yan Zonghai reminded that there is one more step to throw away moldy food: first wrap it in a plastic bag and then discard it to prevent spores from entering the body through breathing and causing respiratory allergies.
What happens if you eat moldy food? From gastroenteritis to severe carcinogenesis
People who choose to cut off the moldy part of the food before eating it, usually think that they have eaten this way in the past, and there is no problem. But is it true?
Yan Zonghai pointed out that mold can produce mycotoxins, which can cause diseases if swallowed. Some lesions do not occur immediately, but are chronic changes. The severity of symptoms is related to the amount of exposure, the length of time, the age and health of the individual.
A common disease caused by mold is acute gastroenteritis, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain; some affect liver function, cause acute liver disease, and even increase the risk of cancer.
For example, peanuts, peanut brittle, peanut powder, peanut butter and other related products are easily contaminated by yellow aspergillus to produce aflatoxins. According to the Taiwan Department of Health, large amounts of food contaminated with aflatoxin may cause acute liver poisoning, pulmonary edema, convulsions, coma, liver failure, heart failure, chronic hepatitis or liver cancer and other symptoms.
Some molds are resistant to high temperatures and cannot be destroyed even after being heated and boiled, and the yellow asper is one of them.
If you find that the food is moldy after eating halfway through, Yan Zonghai recommends that you observe your physical condition first. If you have symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, seek medical attention as soon as possible and inform the doctor about the situation.
5 tips to avoid food mold
If you feel wasted when throwing away moldy food, the best way is not to let the food have a chance to grow mold. Here are some tips to prevent food from becoming moldy:
1. Keep the refrigerator clean: the refrigerator should be managed in layers, cooked food on the top and raw food on the bottom, and clean and wipe regularly.
2. Frequent replacement of cleaning supplies: cleaning utensils such as rags, sponges, etc. are prone to mold in the kitchen. They must be cleaned frequently. If there are odors and mold spots, they must be eliminated.
3. Eating leftovers quickly: The overnight dishes should be eaten the next day, don't leave them for too long.
4. Buy food in small quantities: Don't buy too much fresh food at a time. It is best to buy a portion that can be eaten within a few days. Perishable foods should be stored in the refrigerator, for example, vegetables should be refrigerated, meat should be frozen, and foods that are not intended to be eaten in a short period of time should be kept frozen.
5. Keep the storage container clean and sealed: store food in a clean container that can be sealed to prevent contamination by mold spores in the air. For example, dry foods such as dried shiitake mushrooms, Chinese medicinal materials, and rice are best placed in a sealable container or bag and then placed in the refrigerator. Keep your hands dry when taking them.
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