FUZZY coloured spots on your bread could be far more harmful than previously thought.
We’ve all had food items that have gone past their sell by date but when it comes to mouldy bread, can you still eat it?
Getty – ContributorEating mouldy bread can cause a number of serious health conditions due to its mycotoxins[/caption]
Unlike bacteria, moulds are made of cells visible to the naked eye with spores giving them their colour, which fortunately makes it easier to spot and therefore avoid.
Many may be inclined to simply remove the section of mould and devour – but this could be the wrong move, experts warn.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture advises to chuck the entire loaf out rather than consuming if mould is visible.
They added: “Some moulds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
“And a few moulds, in the right conditions, produce ‘mycotoxins’, poisonous substances that can make you sick.”
Those at risk of falling ill from mouldy food include the vulnerable such as the elderly, children, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system, the experts said.
Mouldy bread can have several different types of fungus on it and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK warns that mouldy bread is a type of porous food and can be contaminated below the surface.
“As a general rule, a mould colony of 1cm in diameter on the surface has also penetrated 1cm deep into the food,” mould expert Dr Patrick Hickey said to the BBC.
“Ecosystems depend on fungi to break down organic matter, without them we would be wallowing in our own waste”.
What mould can do to your body
As mould is not similar to bacteria they “tend not to cause sudden food poisoning,” says Dr Hickey.
But it can still make a person severely sick due to their presence of mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain moulds found in food, explains the World Health Organisation (WHO).
It adds: “Mycotoxins can cause a variety of adverse health effects and pose a serious health threat to both humans and livestock.
How to protect food from mould
The United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service lists the four ways to reduce mould on your food which include:
1. When serving food, keep it covered to prevent exposure to mold spores in the air. Use plastic wrap to cover foods you want to stay moist — fresh or cut fruits and vegetables, and green and mixed salads.
2. Empty opened cans of perishable foods into clean storage containers and refrigerate them promptly.
3. Don’t leave any perishables out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours.
4. Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days so mould doesn’t have a chance to grow.
“The effects of some food-borne mycotoxins are acute with symptoms of severe illness appearing quickly after consumption.
“If a considerable quantity of toxic mould is consumed it may cause gastro-intestinal symptoms and more serious effects, including liver or kidney failure and death,” warned Dr Hickey.
Experts previously warned that mould can also cause a host of other health problems.
This includes shrinking testicles do to the hormonal issues mould can create.
In women, low testosterone levels can trigger weight gain, according Pharmacist Abbas Kanani, an expert from Chemist Click.
Leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, can be affected by mould.
According to Dr Susan Tanner, a family doctor and mould expert based in the US, the fuzzy stuff triggers the body’s inflammatory response which blocks leptin receptors in the body.
This imbalance of leptin decreases metabolism and stimulates hunger leading to weight gain, she explained.
If you have damp and mould in your home you’re more likely to have respiratory infections.
“Some people can be more sensitive to these issues than others,” Thorrun Govind, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) English Pharmacy Board, explained.
“Those with weakened immune systems, including older people, babies and children are more susceptible,” she said.