Mold Food Risks

Since biblical times, the presence of mold in food products has been a pervasive health issue.  Admittedly, there are foods whose quality and flavour actually improve with mold exposure, such as cheese and some soy products.  Also, a fair number of molds that grow on food are harmless and do not affect the integrity of the food.  Nonetheless, there have been many cases reported over the centuries of edibles that have become unsalvageable, or worse, have caused widespread illness, once they have been tainted with mold. 

The first documented instance of toxic mold poisoning was in 857 A.D., when the Rhine Valley suffered a serious outbreak of gangrenous ergotism due to contaminated wheat, which in turn became infested bread.  Fortunately, this sort of disease is almost never encountered today, because modern cleaning, milling and baking methods remove most of the organisms that would instigate the ailment.  Over just the last century, there have been more than a few instances of mass sickness due to mold-contaminated foods, mostly in developing countries and rural areas, due to the poor nutrition and food preparation habits that are typically found in these areas. 

There are a number of hazards associated with mold contamination.  Mycotoxin poisoning is a concern because of its potent effect even at low concentrations, though instances of this sort of mold illness are relatively rare.  Aflaxtoxins, which manifest in cereal, rice and nuts that have been stored in high humidity and temperature, attack the liver, and are known to be both immunosuppressive and carcinogenic.  The most recent large-scale aflatoxin outbreak was in Kenya in 2004, when 125 people died from eating corn that had been contaminated, because it had been stored in damp conditions.  Ochratoxins are found in cereals, coffee, bread and various food products taken from animals, with cases reported in many countries, and are likewise toxic and carcinogenic.  Mere inhalation of ochratoxins in Italy caused acute renal failure in one victim.

Generally, grains that have suffered mold damage are the most risky to consume, so one ought to be extra vigilant when it comes to eating these types of products.  Take note that expiration dates are not so significant when it comes to mold contamination, as even a seemingly fresh product can place one at risk if it was improperly stored, or if it was otherwise compromised in some way.  Even a processed grain product may pose risk if it was made from a raw grain product that was infested.  This is less of an issue in more developed countries, where manufacturers take adequate precautions to insure this does not happen, being keenly aware of the potential hazard. 

In order to avoid being a victim of a mold contamination ailment, take care to inspect the food that you are about to eat, particularly if it is fruit or derived from some grain product.  Signs of a mold infestation should be fairly apparent in most cases, but sometimes you may be in such a hurry to consume the product that you miss out on a warning sign.  If it looks or smells funny, or has been stored in wet or damp conditions for any length of time, you would be better off throwing it away.

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