Quick Answer
It’s generally not recommended to eat moldy food, even if you cut away the visibly moldy parts. Mold can grow roots that are invisible to the naked eye and eating moldy food may cause illness. However, in some cases, it may be safe to eat food with a small amount of mold, such as mold that develops on the surface of hard cheese or salami. It’s best to be cautious and throw out food that is at all moldy.
Is it ever safe to eat moldy food?
No, it’s generally unsafe to purposefully eat moldy food. Even if you cut away the visibly moldy parts, mold can still be present that you can’t see. Mold grows long, thread-like roots called mycelium that penetrate into the food and can contaminate areas that appear normal. Consuming moldy food, even in small amounts, puts you at risk for developing mycotoxin poisoning or infection from mold spores. It’s best not to risk it and to discard all moldy food items.
Are there any foods it’s okay to eat if they have a little mold?
There are a few exceptions where foods may be safe to consume if they only have a small amount of surface mold. This includes hard cheeses like parmesan or cheddar, salamis and dry-cured country hams. With hard cheeses, you can safely cut away the moldy part to a depth of 1 inch. For dry-cured salami or country ham, you can scrub away just the mold on the surface. However, it’s still best to be cautious and throw out moldy cheese, salami or ham if the mold covers a large area or penetrates deeply. It’s always safer to throw out moldy food than risk eating any amount of mold.
What are the health risks of eating moldy food?
Eating moldy food puts you at risk for two main health dangers:
1. Mycotoxin poisoning
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by mold that can cause illness. Not all molds produce mycotoxins, but dangerous types like aflatoxin are common food contaminants. Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen associated with liver cancer. Levels of aflatoxin as low as 15 micrograms per day may be hazardous over time. Even though you can’t see it, moldy food may contain high levels of these harmful mycotoxins.
2. Mold allergy or infection
Eating mold puts you at risk for developing a mold allergy or infection. Inhaling or consuming mold spores may trigger an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals. Some people have even developed severe reactions after eating moldy foods, including anaphylaxis. Inhaling mold can also lead to respiratory illnesses. Mold spores have the potential to infect immunocompromised people leading to problems like fungal pneumonia.
What foods should always be discarded if moldy?
Here are some foods you should always discard immediately if mold develops:
- Soft fruits and vegetables like berries, peaches, tomatoes, zucchini
- Soft cheese like cottage and cream cheese
- Bread and baked goods
- Jams, jellies, condiments
- Peanut butter, legumes, nuts
- Frozen fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry, fish
- Cooked leftovers
With these types of perishable foods, even a small amount of mold could be problematic. The soft texture of these foods makes it easier for mold roots to penetrate deeply. Meat can be contaminated with bacteria in addition to mold. Discarding moldy items like these reduces your risk of becoming ill from eating it.
Can you salvage part of a moldy food by cutting away the mold?
It’s generally not recommended to try to salvage part of a moldy food by cutting away just the visibly moldy sections. Mold roots may have spread further into the food than is visible. Even if you think you have removed all the mold, microscopic mold spores and mycotoxins could still remain. It’s just not worth the risk, especially for foods that are inexpensive and easy to replace.
What are signs of moldy food you shouldn’t eat?
Here are some visible signs that indicate food has spoiled and should be discarded due to mold:
- Fuzzy or hair-like mold growing on the surface of food
- White, green, grey, or black spots or dots on food
- Blue, green, grey, or black discoloration of food
- Soft or wet slimy areas on produce or bread
- Dry, crumbly areas on bread or cheese
Mold can also cause food to become discolored, have an off smell or develop a strange taste. Never taste food that looks or smells suspicious to check if it’s spoiled. It’s not worth the risk. If in doubt, throw it out.
Can moldy food be made safe to eat if cooked thoroughly?
No, it is not considered safe to try to cook or reheat moldy food to make it safe to eat. High cooking temperatures may kill mold spores and mycelium, but cannot destroy mycotoxins already produced by mold. Mycotoxins can withstand temperatures above those reached by normal cooking. Consuming cooked moldy food still carries a high risk of mycotoxin poisoning. It’s just not worth taking the chance when the consequences could be so detrimental to your health.
Is it safe to eat mold if you have a healthy immune system?
No, even people with healthy immune systems should avoid eating moldy foods. While those with weakened immune systems may be at higher risk for infection, mold can cause health issues for anyone. Mycotoxins are toxic even to people with robust immune defenses and mold spores can trigger dangerous allergic reactions. Consuming small amounts of mold on multiple occasions also increases your lifetime exposure. Don’t let the assumption of having a “healthy” immune system provide a false sense of security around eating moldy food. It’s better to just avoid it altogether.
Can you get sick immediately from eating mold or do symptoms take time to develop?
It’s possible to get sick immediately from eating a large amount of mold, but more often mold-related illnesses develop over time. Here’s what to know:
- Allergic reactions: Mold allergies could cause immediate illness after eating mold. Symptoms like wheezing, trouble breathing, or a rash may be noticeable right away.
- Infection: Getting an infection from mold takes time. It takes time for the mold to spread through your system. Symptoms usually develop days or weeks later.
- Mycotoxin poisoning: Low doses of mycotoxins take time to accumulate. Regularly eating small amounts of moldy food and low levels of mycotoxins may cause cancer or illness to develop years down the road.
Even if you don’t get sick right after eating a moldy food, it doesn’t mean you dodged any danger. Illness could still develop slowly. It’s always safest to avoid moldy food altogether rather than risk the short or long term consequences.
What are some dangerous molds to look out for in food?
Some of the most dangerous molds that can contaminate foods include:
- Aspergillus: One of the most common food contaminants. Produces aflatoxins that are potent liver carcinogens. Associated with crops like corn, peanuts, cotton.
- Fusarium: Produces fumonisins, fusarins, and trichothecenes that can cause nausea, vomiting, and neural tube defects. Mainly affects grains.
- Penicillium: Produces ochratoxin A, which is nephrotoxic and possibly carcinogenic. Can grow on many foods.
- Alternaria: Found in grains, fruits, and vegetables. Produces tenuazonic acid and alternariol mycotoxins.
- Claviceps: Grows on rye, wheat, barley, rice, and produces toxic ergot alkaloids that induce hallucinations.
Even trace amounts of these dangerous molds can produce high levels of mycotoxins that pose serious health threats. Consuming food contaminated with these molds, even if no mold is visible, should be avoided.
Can you smell or taste mold in food?
Yes, mold can impart distinct odors and tastes to contaminated food. Here are some signs of possible mold in food based on smell and taste:
- Earthy, musty, or stale odor
- Ammonia-like smell
- Rotten fruit scent
- Sweet, floral, or minty smell (early stages)
- Sharp, bitter, or unpleasant flavors
- Chalky, dusty, or stale taste
However, don’t rely on smell or taste alone to determine if food is safe. Some mycotoxins have no odor or taste. The smallest amounts of mold can be dangerous. Even if you don’t detect an off smell or flavor, err on the safe side and discard moldy food.
What are some ways to prevent mold growth on food?
Here are some tips to help prevent mold growth on food:
- Store food properly in sealed containers, away from moisture and humidity.
- Refrigerate perishable foods like fruits, vegetables, meats.
- Freeze foods if you won’t use them within a few days.
- Don’t let produce spoil – use within a few days.
- Keep leftovers for 3-4 days maximum.
- Discard food that smells bad or looks moldy.
- Examine food well before eating.
- Clean fridge and pantry to prevent mold spores from accumulating.
Proper food safety and storage methods help prevent mold growth. Discard any food that shows even small spots of mold to be safe. Take steps to limit mold growth and opportunities for mycotoxin production.
Can you see mold growing on food?
Yes, mold is often visible on contaminated food as fuzz, spots, cottony growths, or discolored patches. Here’s how mold may appear on some foods:
| Food | Visible Mold Signs |
|---|---|
| Bread | White, green, or black fuzzy spots or growth |
| Fruit like berries | White fuzz or cotton-like growth |
| Hard cheese | Blue, green, white, or black spots or veins |
| Cooked meat | Slimy white, green, brown, or grey growth |
| Nuts | Greenish-black or white filament growth |
Mold can start out small and be hard to detect at first, so inspect food carefully. Don’t taste food if mold is spotted – always discard it. Examine food before consuming to limit risk of accidentally eating hidden mold.
Conclusion
Eating moldy food is very risky and can cause mycotoxin poisoning, infection or allergic reactions. Even a small amount of mold can contaminate food that looks otherwise normal. It’s just not worth eating moldy food, even if you trim the visibly affected parts. With few exceptions, discarded any food that has mold present, no matter how little. While tiny amounts of mold on surfaces like cheese or salami may be safe for some, it’s recommended to err on the side of caution. Throwing out all moldy food reduces your lifetime exposure and risk of developing mold-related illnesses down the road. Be diligent about examining food for signs of mold and proper food storage methods to limit mold growth and keep your food safe. When in doubt, throw it out.
