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What Are the Dangers of Eating Food Mold?

Molds are tiny fungi that can live off of other plants or animals. These parasites can grow on our food making it inedible. Biologists warn against eating moldy food because ingestion of certain molds can have serious side effects, according to the USDA.

  1. Identification

    • The mold that grows on food is a threadlike organism that produces many spores. These spores give food mold its color, which can easily be seen on the surface of food.

    Significance

    • When you see mold growing on the surface of food you can rest assured that it is well below the surface too. It has roots which grow far below the surface spreading the fungi to other areas within the food product, per Food Reference.com.

    Effects

    • Many people suffer from allergies and the mold that grows on food can produce a serious allergic reaction to their system. These molds can cause respiratory distress requiring medical attention, per the USDA.

    Danger

    • Under optimal conditions some molds can produce mycotoxins, which are poisons that cause people to be very ill.

    Expert Insight

    • According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, approximately 25 percent of the food crops in the world may be contaminated by mycotoxins. They also say that one form, aflatoxin, is a cancer-causing poison found predominantly found growing on field corn and peanuts.

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