Mold and food: a combination that can’t be fixed

Professor Halis Oğuz, a lecturer at the pharmacology and toxicology department of the veterinary medicine faculty of Selçuk University, notes that if aflatoxin has formed in moldy wheat, corn, rice, chickpeas or other food, this toxin cannot be removed from these foods simply by airing them or exposing them to direct sunlight. Oğuz cautions that such foods should never be consumed. “If you expose moldy food to the open air or direct sunlight, only the outer fibrous texture disappears. But the toxic effect inside persists. Usually, people do not want to waste food by discarding moldy foodstuff, and they tend to remove the moldy parts, but continue to use the rest of it. Moldy food operates on the body slowly, but fatally. In time, mold causes liver tumors and cirrhosis, renal failure and cancer. Moreover, people who eat moldy food or seemingly clean parts of such food are more likely to develop infections since their immune system will be suppressed,” he says. Oğuz further indicates that aflatoxin may affect pregnant women and can harm fetuses, particularly during the first three months of pregnancy.

Furthermore, milk, eggs, meat or other products from animals that eat animal food containing toxins from mold can cause serious damage to people. “During the last 10-15 years, people have become increasingly aware of animal nutrition, which is refreshing. However, sometimes people tend to use moldy bread or restaurant waste as animal food. Thus, toxins from mold are transferred to animals and eventually to their products. These products may even lead to disabilities in babies,” he says.

Diet and nutrition expert Nilgün Aydın underlines that mold has invisible extensions and therefore, moldy food must be completely discarded. Food engineer Selçuk Biçer stresses that cleaning is important in containing and controlling mold.

How to prevent food from developing mold

Mold may be transferred from rotting food to the fridge and dishcloths or other cleaning materials. Therefore, the refrigerator must be cleaned with a solution of one liter of water mixed with one tablespoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and then rinsed with clean water. Mold on plastic surfaces must be cleaned with a solution of three teaspoons of bleach diluted with one liter of water.

Dishcloths, towels, sponges and other cleaning materials should be disinfected. A musty odor coming from these materials is proof that mold is breeding. Do not use cleaning materials that you cannot clean or wash.

Save food in closed containers to prevent the potential risk of airborne contamination.

Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables or salads should be covered with plastic film in order to keep them fresh.

Canned food that is prone to spoil quickly should be placed in storage containers and immediately put in the fridge.

Do not keep perishable foods outside the fridge for more than two hours.

Consume cooked food within three or four days and discard if mold develops.

If food is stored under unsuitable conditions before being served, bacteria may proliferate. Hot meals should be kept covered if they are to be served in one or two hours. However, they should not be placed in the fridge while they are still hot.

Separate chopping boards and utensils should be used for meat, vegetables and dough to prevent cross-contamination.