Moldy spots on food not only look unappetizing, but they can also be dangerous: the toxins they contain can damage the liver and kidneys and even be carcinogenic. However, mold does not mean that you have to throw away every food item. For some, it is sufficient to generously remove the spoiled area. EAT SMARTER presents the most important foods.
Jam
The fruity spread sweetens the morning on bread or waffles. Even mold on the jam can’t spoil a good start to the day – if the ratio of fruit and sugar is 50:50. Only then can the mold be generously removed and the spread continued to be eaten without hesitation.
The situation is different with jams, which contain more fruit than sugar: These are no longer edible, even after generous removal of the mold, as the mold spores may have spread throughout the entire product – even if they are not visible to the naked eye. In this case, the food should be thrown away.
Bread
“Until now, we have advised to cut out the mold over a large area from a whole loaf, as an infestation with mycotoxins outside the visible area on bread has not yet been detected,” explains certified ecotrophologist Antje Gahl from the DGE. In case of doubt, however, it is better to throw away the moldy bread than to remove it. In the case of individual slices of bread that contain mold, this applies anyway and they must be disposed of immediately.
Cheese
Sliced cheese is a food that should be discarded if it has mold on it. If, on the other hand, a whole piece of cheese is infected, the corresponding area can be generously removed and the cheese can then be eaten anyway.
Fruit Vegetable
If moldy spots are discovered on fruit or vegetables, these foods are unfortunately only for the bin. Due to their high water content, the mold spores spread particularly well and quickly, which is why spoiled fruit and vegetables should never be eaten or processed.
With potatoes, it should also be noted that the green spots that appear must be cut out generously in any case. They contain the natural toxin solanine. This can lead to health problems such as headaches, diarrhea, or vomiting. For this reason, the already boiled potato cooking water should also be discarded and not processed further.
