Often we end up buying more food than we can eat right away. Even though refrigeration can help preserve food, items such as fresh fruit, bread and other foods are still perishable.
Usually it’s best to avoid moldy food. Certain hard and semi-soft cheeses contain special molds that are safe to eat. But generally speaking, mold on food means it’s no longer safe to eat. For one, it’s usually impossible to tell how far the mold has penetrated into the food. Some species of mold also produce harmful substances called mycotoxins, says Antje Gahl, a dietician at the German Nutrition Association. Long-term or frequent exposure to mycotoxins can eventually lead to liver or kidney damage, and even promote the development of certain cancers.
That’s why we shouldn’t eat moldy bread, fruit or nuts. Storing fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator will help prevent mold. It’s best to store food in a clean, cool and dry location.
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If You've Ever Picked Mold Off Your Bread, This Will Seriously Shock You
We've all been there. You're about to cut into a loaf of bread and there it is. A fuzzy blue spot of mold lurking on the surface of that baguette you just bought yesterday. While most of us were taught to just cut around the mold and eat the rest in order to not waste food, it's time to stop that bad habit.
"We don't recommend cutting mold off of bread, because it's a soft food," Marianne Gravely, a senior technical information specialist for the United States Department of Agriculture told NPR. "With soft food, it's very easy for the roots [of the mold], or the tentacles, or whatever creepy word you want to use, to penetrate [deeper into the food]."
Basically, the mold spore's roots go much farther into bread than our eyes can see.
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