Kerri Waldron
There’s nothing more disappointing than sinking your teeth into a slice of bread and getting a mouthful of green, fuzzy mould. The thought of that experience alone probably turns your stomach. It may also leave you wondering what happens if you eat mould accidentally and the potential harm you’re doing to your body. Is this a see-your-GP-immediately kind of situation?
First, relax. If you took a bite of some mouldy food, don’t worry. It’s extremely common, explains Keri Gans, registered dietician, nutritionist and author. And it’s super easy for mould to grow on food that’s soft and porous like bread, fruit, vegetables, and more, she adds.
This may surprise you — mould spores are all around us. They can enter a building through the air and attach to food and surfaces, and they are naturally present in soil and natural habitats where crops are grown, says Georgia Jones, an associate professor of food science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It’s part of nature, so you can expect mould to pop up over time. That said, you can delay that by washing and storing your food properly.
Eating mouldy food probably won’t hurt you too much, let alone kill you, says Rudolph Bedford, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica.
But there are definitely a few things you should keep in mind. On rare occasions, mould *can* make you sick if you’re not careful. Here’s everything you need to know if you accidentally eat mould, according to experts.
Give it to me straight. What happens if I eat mould?
Don’t run to the bathroom to scrub your tongue with a bar of soap just yet. ‘You’re not going to die from eating mould,’ says Dr Bedford. In fact, as long as your immune system is in good shape, you can digest it like any other food.
Though moulds (AKA microscopic fungi) — which creep up on plant and animal products after being transported there by air, water, or insects — can be dangerous, they usually aren’t, according to the FSA.
After all, moulds are meant to be on certain foods — including dry-cured hams and cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. In many of these cases, mould is totally safe to eat, the FSA says.
But what about the fuzzy green or white stuff that pops up unannounced on fruits, vegetables, bread, and dairy products?
You might feel sick after accidentally eating these moulds, but that’s most likely because the mould tastes bad, not because of any particular toxin in it, says Dr Bedford.
The exception is if the mould you eat produces a particular type called mycotoxins. It is typically found in grain and nut crops, but also in celery, grape juice, apples, and other produce. ‘Minute amounts are unlikely to make someone sick, but these can accumulate in the liver and kidneys and cause health problems in the long term,’ says Jones.
Dr Bedford recommends waiting to see if your symptoms escalate beyond nausea before rushing to call the doctor. ‘The stomach is a harsh environment, so, for the most part, most bacteria and fungus won’t survive,’ he explains.
But what if I do get super sick from eating mouldy food?
‘It’s very uncommon that you’re going to get [really] sick from mould,’ says Dr Bedford. And in the rare instance that you do, you’ll likely have had to consume large amounts of the stuff. (And, c’mon, are you really going to keep licking the fuzz off your food? I don’t think so.)
If the unlikely occurs, though, and your symptoms include persistent nausea and vomiting, you should definitely call the doctor, Dr Bedford says. Typically, he’d just prescribe anti-nausea medication — but if you’re really feeling miserable, he might prescribe something to induce vomiting or diarrhoea to try to flush out your system.
In some cases, people have allergic reactions to certain moulds, which can contribute to respiratory issues, says Dr Bedford. But don’t worry, they’re usually temporary and easily treated by your GP.
Ultimately, though, don’t get too freaked out. In his 30 years of practice, Dr Bedford says he has never seen anyone die or require more intense treatment due to mould (though that doesn’t mean it’s impossible).
And, the good news is mould cannot grow in the stomach because it is too acidic. ‘Many human diseases are caused by fungal infections—on the skin and respiratory system. However, these are not truly associated with the consumption of mouldy foods, whether the mould was used intentionally to ferment a food product or not,’ says Jones.
Wait, can’t I just cut the mould off of my food?
If you’re not too freaked out by that patch of mould on your eats, you might be tempted to just cut it off and continue eating, but whether or not this is actually a good idea depends on the food.
Though you only see their fuzzy discoloured tops, all moulds have ‘roots’ that invade foods. Since these roots allow toxins (if there are any) to spread throughout the inside of your food, your best move is to throw out the mouldy food in its entirety, regardless of where you see the mouldy patch, Dr Bedford says.
Still, mould can’t penetrate certain hard cheeses, hard salami, firm fruits, and vegetables as easily as softer foods. That makes these foods easier to save from a fuzzy patch. Just make sure to cut off at least an inch around and below the mouldy spot, keep your knife out of the mould, and wrap the ‘good’ part of the food in a new covering.
For quick reference, these foods are generally okay to eat once you cut off any mould:
- Hard cheeses
- Hard salami
- Firm fruits
- Vegetables
These foods, meanwhile, should be thrown away if at all mouldy:
- Soft cheeses (that are not meant to be mouldy)
- Soft fruits, such as strawberries, grapes, blueberries, and peaches
- Baked goods
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Yoghurt
- Jams
- Meat
- Bread
Also, FYI, toasting your bread will not kill the mould on it, so don’t even go there. Since bread is super porous, it’s definitely one to chuck at the first sign of fuzz, says the FSA.
But wait, isn’t mould used to make certain foods?
In short, yes, mould is used to make some of your favourite foods like cheese, soy sauce, vinegar, yoghurt, and more — which means that some mould is obviously not dangerous to eat, Gans explains.
For example, cheese is made with common moulds like Penicillium strains. (Think of the stinky, rotted look of blue cheese and gorgonzola.) And yup, traditional soy sauces and vinegars use Koji, a fungus, to ferment and create that classic acidic, tart, and sometimes sweet taste.
But all of these moulds are generally considered safe to eat since they’re consumed as part of the food they’re used to make, Gans explains.
That said, when you see an unnatural growth occur on these foods, don’t disregard it. If you find something funky popping up on these foods (picture anything uncharacteristically green, blue, and fuzzy), your best bet is still to cut off the area or discard the item entirely.
How can I prevent mould from forming in the first place?
Since warm, humid conditions encourage mould growth — and dry mould spores float through the air in search of new places in which to grow some more mouldy friends — here are a few best practices for keeping mould from messing with your food:
- Examine foods for mould before buying them
- Purchase food in small amounts so mould doesn’t have time to grow
- Cover food with clingfilm
- Stash food in the refrigerator quickly
- Eat leftovers within three or four days
- Clean your refrigerator regularly
- Keep your home’s humidity level below 40 per cent
Of course, moulds can still grow in the refrigerator (albeit much more slowly), but following these guidelines can help keep your eats fresh and fuzz-free for as long as possible.
The bottom line: Eating mouldy food probably won’t make you ill, but most foods should be thrown away at the first sign of fuzz. To prevent mould growth, properly wrap all food and store it in a clean, dry fridge.
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Source: womenshealthmag.com
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