How Does Mold Obtain Food?

Molds are multi-cellular groupings of fungal filaments that grow together into a colony of identical nuclei known as a mycelium. This organism cannot feed itself as plants do through photosynthesis, so it must find another way to take in nutrients. Mold obtains nourishment by chemically breaking down decaying organic matter after it attaches itself to the matter.

Chemical Breakdown Process

• The biological structure of mold consists of multiple filaments that secrete enzymes into organic matter through their root systems (known as rhizoids). These enzymes begin to break down the nutrients within the organism (such as cellulose, sugars and starch) and draw these nutrients in through the filaments. Once this process begins, mold colonies can produce mold spores that will be released into the air and spread throughout the surrounding area. This is why mold has such widespread and long-term effects on any environment in which it has established itself.

Natural Food Sources

• The sources of food that mold nourishes itself on include fallen trees, residual material from plant life cycles (leaves and seeds), animal carcasses and any other organic matter that has been discarded due to cell death or lack of usefulness. This process serves a useful purpose in nature, and has been occurring for thousands if not millions of years. The nutritional elements of decaying plants, trees and other biological entities are released back into the ecosystem through the breaking down of matter, thus completing the life cycle according to the natural order.

Other Food Sources

• Matter that is not found in the natural environment of mold species can also provide nourishment by the secretion of enzymes. Keratin, a structural element of human hair and fingernails, is a common way for mold to obtain food in an otherwise unnatural environment. Petroleum byproducts such as rubber and latex used in paint can be ingested by mold and turned into energy.

Mold in Structures

• All mold forms need moisture to exist, and conditions of high humidity in other environments will promote mold growth. Many building materials contain organic elements that are natural food sources for mold, such as cellulose in drywall, wallpaper and wood. Residue on surfaces within structures, such as oil from fingerprints and soap scum, also provide a source of nourishment for mold. Even inorganic material that contains a sufficient level of humidity, such as collections of dust and synthetic fibers, can support and perpetuate mold life.

Food in Abundance

• The truth is that the ability of mold to obtain food even in the most diverse of conditions results in its longevity and survival. Mold can lay dormant when conditions are not conducive to its existence, such as in temperature extremes or in periods of little or no humidity. Additionally, the surfaces on which mold colonies are attached do not necessarily have to be organic in nature. Any surface that has some moisture content will provide a suitable resting place for mold spores to begin reproducing.