Harmless mold: Which spoiled foods can be safely eaten

Mold on products looks unappetizing and seems dangerous, but not all of its types are harmful and inedible. Jill Taylor, a British consultant on safe food, says that some types of mold, for example, in cheeses and meat products, give food a unique taste and aroma, but there are also dangerous types of fungus. Find out from our material which moldy products can be consumed and which should be thrown away immediately.

We often spend a lot of time in stores looking for fresh products, fruits and vegetables that will not start to rot and become covered with mold on the second day after purchase. But, despite the repulsive appearance, there are products from which it can be removed and eaten.

Expert Jill Taylor advises first of all to pay attention to the inscriptions "it is desirable to use before" and "use before". The date after the inscription "preferably consumed before" determines the quality of the product, not its safety and does not mean that it will cause harm to health. The inscription "consume before", which is placed on more perishable products (soft cheeses, chilled meat, etc.), warns of harmful bacteria that can lead to serious diseases. If mold appears on such products, they should not be eaten.

Here is a short list of products that can be eaten by removing mold from the surface, and those that need to be thrown away.

Rotten vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips and cabbage, do not contain much liquid and have a high level of acidity, which prevents the penetration of rot. Until they become slippery, the rotten part can be cut off, and the rest can be eaten.

The same goes for fruits. If an apple, pear or peach has started to rot, you should not throw them away entirely. Most types of mold on fresh fruits and vegetables will not harm the body. The damaged part can be cut off and the fruit can be eaten safely. It is necessary to avoid green potatoes, because they contain poisonous solanine, from which you can get digestive problems.

When cheeses like cheddar and parmesan begin to mold, the fungus penetrates into the product. It is necessary to cut off the area around the damaged place, retreating from it by at least 3 cm. Make sure that the knife does not come into contact with mold.

Mold is used in the production of some types of cheeses, for example, brie or camembert. Penicillin is specially sprayed on their surface to form a mold crust. If you store different types of cheese in one dish, mold can move from one piece to another. You can use them if the fungus has not acquired a pink, blue or green hue, and the surface has not become slippery — this indicates the proliferation of harmful bacteria.

In some types of dried meat products, for example, salami, mold and bacteria are specially added during cooking. Mold on the surface of such products does not penetrate inside. But if the fungus appears on ham, chicken or roast beef, they need to be thrown away.

If you take a bite of bread and suddenly see that there are traces of mold on the loaf, do not be alarmed — it will not cause you any harm. The fact is that the fungus first spreads on the bread crust and only then penetrates inside. To protect yourself, you can cut off the crust from moldy bread and eat it safely.

Mold on the surface of jam or jam is absolutely normal. These products contain a lot of sugar, which prevents the growth of bacteria and mold fungi. Mold can appear after someone has stuck a finger or a knife with bread crumbs into the delicacy.

However, most types of fungi are very dangerous to our health. A young British woman almost died because of mold in the house and spent half her life fighting with severe consequences for the body.