What Happens If You Eat Mold?

Summary

The video script delves into the diverse world of mold, highlighting its presence in everyday life and its potential impact on health. It outlines a guide for determining whether to discard moldy food, emphasizing the risk of ingesting harmful bacteria and mycotoxins, which can cause severe health issues. The script also explores the beneficial side of mold, such as its use in creating blue cheese and the discovery of penicillin, suggesting that mold could hold more undiscovered potential.

Takeaways

• 🍄 Mold is a type of fungi that can grow on various surfaces including food, and there are approximately 300,000 different types.
• 🚫 Consuming mold can lead to health issues like nausea, diarrhea, and in severe cases, liver damage or cancer due to mycotoxins.
• 🧀 Some molds are safe and even desirable, such as those used in the production of blue cheese, which have anti-bacterial properties and contribute to the cheese's texture and flavor.
• 🍽️ Mold on soft foods like yogurt, jam, peaches, or tomatoes should be discarded, while mold on harder foods like cheese, carrots, or hard salami can be cut away and the rest consumed.
• 🔬 Molds form hyphae, thread-like structures that can penetrate food, which may not always be visible to the naked eye.
• 🤢 Eating moldy food can introduce harmful bacteria into your system, potentially causing stomach pain, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal issues.
• 💊 Mold is the source of penicillin, one of the most significant antibiotics ever discovered, highlighting the dual nature of mold as both harmful and beneficial.
• 🍃 Mold can grow in buildings and on plants and animals, indicating its widespread presence in various environments.
• ⚠️ Mycotoxins, produced by certain mold strains, are poisonous and can survive food processing, posing a risk if ingested.
• 🔎 The script suggests that while mold can be dangerous, it also holds potential for scientific discovery and innovation.

Q & A

What is mold and where can it be found?

Mold is a type of microscopic fungi that can be found living on plants, animals, and even in buildings. It forms branches known as hyphae which can burrow into food.

How many types of mold are there?

There are up to 300,000 different types of mold, each with the potential to affect humans in various ways.

What are some common effects of mold on humans?

Mold can cause a range of effects from mild, like nausea or diarrhea, to severe, including liver damage, cancer, DNA damage, and immune system deficiency.

How should one determine if moldy food is safe to eat?

Soft foods like yogurts, jams, peaches, or tomatoes should be thrown away if mold is found. Harder foods like cheese, carrots, or hard salami can be trimmed to remove the mold and the rest can be eaten.

What are mycotoxins and why are they dangerous?

Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain strains of mold. They can be found in various foods and can survive most food processing methods. They can cause serious health issues like liver damage and cancer.

What is aflatoxin and where is it commonly found?

Aflatoxin is a particularly dangerous variety of mycotoxins that can grow on corn and peanuts. It can cause liver damage, cancer, DNA damage, and immune system deficiency.

Are there any beneficial uses of mold?

Yes, some molds are used intentionally for their benefits. For example, blue cheese is made using non-toxic blue molds that have antibacterial properties and contribute to the cheese's unique flavor and texture.

How do the molds used in blue cheese production affect its properties?

The molds Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium glaucum used in blue cheese production have antibacterial properties that suppress pathogens and break down proteins, resulting in a creamy texture and sharp flavor.

What is the connection between mold and the discovery of penicillin?

Penicillin, one of the most powerful antibiotics, was discovered from the mold Penicillium. This shows that mold can have significant beneficial uses in medicine.

What should one do if they accidentally consume moldy food?

If one accidentally consumes moldy food, they should monitor for symptoms like stomach pain, vomiting, or other signs of illness and seek medical attention if necessary.

How can mold's presence in food be detected and what are the risks of not removing it?

Mold in food can be detected by visible growth or an off smell. The risks of not removing it include the ingestion of harmful bacteria and mycotoxins, which can lead to serious health problems.

Outlines

00:00

🍄 Mold: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This paragraph introduces the concept of mold, a type of fungi that can be found on various surfaces including food and buildings. It discusses the wide variety of mold types, which can range from harmless to highly dangerous. The paragraph highlights the potential health risks associated with mold, such as nausea, diarrhea, and even severe conditions like liver damage and cancer due to mycotoxins. It also touches on the fact that some molds are used in food production, like in blue cheese, and mentions the historical significance of mold in the discovery of penicillin.

Keywords

💡Mold

Mold refers to fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments. In the video, mold is presented as a ubiquitous presence that can be found on various surfaces, including food and buildings. It is highlighted as something that can cause health issues if ingested, but also has beneficial uses, such as in the production of certain cheeses and antibiotics. The video discusses the different types of mold and their potential impacts on health, emphasizing the need for caution when dealing with moldy food.

💡Hyphae

Hyphae are the thread-like structures that make up the mycelium of fungi, including mold. They can penetrate and grow within organic materials, such as food. The video explains that mold's hyphae can be difficult to see, which is why it's important to discard moldy food to avoid ingesting these threads that may carry harmful substances.

💡Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain molds. The video mentions that these substances can be harmful if consumed, as they can cause a range of health issues from stomach pain to more severe conditions like liver damage and cancer. Aflatoxin, a type of mycotoxin, is specifically highlighted as particularly dangerous due to its association with corn and peanut mold.

💡Aflatoxin

Aflatoxin is a potent mycotoxin produced by certain strains of mold, such as Aspergillus flavus, which can grow on corn and peanuts. The video warns that high levels of aflatoxin can lead to serious health problems, including liver damage, cancer, DNA damage, and immune system deficiencies, underscoring the importance of food safety.

💡Penicillium

Penicillium is a genus of fungi that includes mold species used in the production of blue cheese. The video explains that certain strains of Penicillium, such as P. roqueforti and P. glaucum, are non-toxic and are intentionally used to create the distinct flavor and texture of blue cheese. These molds have antibacterial properties and contribute to the cheese's creamy texture and sharp taste.

💡Food Safety

Food safety is a critical aspect of preventing illness from consuming contaminated food. The video emphasizes the importance of food safety by discussing the guidelines for handling moldy food. It suggests discarding moldy soft foods immediately and provides advice on how to safely consume harder foods that may have mold on the surface, highlighting the need for vigilance in food preparation and storage.

💡Antibiotics

Antibiotics are substances that can kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. The video mentions that mold is not only associated with potential harm but also with the discovery of penicillin, one of the most important antibiotics. This discovery revolutionized medicine by providing a treatment for bacterial infections, demonstrating the dual nature of mold as both a potential hazard and a source of beneficial compounds.

💡Pathogens

Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and some molds. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe how certain non-toxic molds, like those used in blue cheese production, have antibacterial properties that help suppress the growth of harmful pathogens, contributing to the safety and preservation of food.

💡Fungus

Fungus is a general term for organisms in the kingdom Fungi, which includes molds, yeasts, and mushrooms. The video script uses the term to describe mold as a type of fungus that can have both negative and positive impacts on human life, from causing food spoilage and health issues to being used in the production of valuable products like cheese and antibiotics.

💡Spoilage

Spoilage refers to the process by which food becomes unfit for consumption due to the growth of microorganisms, such as mold. The video discusses how mold can spoil food, making it unsafe to eat. It also provides guidance on how to determine whether food with mold should be discarded or if it's safe to trim the mold and consume the rest, based on the type of food and the extent of mold growth.

💡Innovation

Innovation is the process of introducing new ideas, methods, or products. The video concludes by suggesting that there may be further innovations to be discovered from mold, beyond the well-known example of penicillin. This highlights the potential for scientific exploration and discovery within areas that may initially seem unappealing or harmful.

Highlights

Mold is a type of fungi that can be found on various surfaces, including food, and comes in over 300,000 different types.

Mold can cause health issues ranging from mild discomfort to severe conditions like nausea, diarrhea, and even death.

Mold's hyphae, the thread-like structures, can penetrate food, making it difficult to see and remove.

A guide is provided to determine whether to discard moldy food, suggesting immediate disposal for soft foods and cutting away mold for harder foods.

Harder, denser foods are less likely to have mold spread throughout, making them safer to eat after removing visible mold.

Consuming moldy food can lead to stomach pain, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal issues due to accompanying bacteria.

Mycotoxins, poisonous substances produced by certain molds, can cause severe health problems including liver damage and cancer.

Aflatoxin, a dangerous mycotoxin, is particularly harmful and can be found on corn and peanuts.

Some molds are intentionally consumed for their benefits, such as the blue molds used in blue cheese production.

Blue cheese molds have anti-bacterial properties and contribute to the cheese's creamy texture and sharp flavor.

Mold's potential for innovation is highlighted by the discovery of penicillin, a powerful antibiotic derived from the Penicillium mold.

The possibility of future world-changing innovations from mold is suggested, hinting at undiscovered potential.

Transcripts

You've seen it growing on your fruit,

eating your leftovers,

and maybe even hiding in your basement.

This is mold.

It smells bad,

it's creepy-looking,

and even if you don't know much about it,

you probably know enough to keep it

as far away from your mouth as possible.

There are up to 300,000

different types of mold,

and they could affect you

in very different ways.

Some could ruin your day

by causing nausea or diarrhea.

Some could be used to make expensive cheeses,

and others could nearly kill you!

So how do you know which kind of mold you're dealing with?

And is it ever okay to just eat around the mold on your food?

I'm asking for a friend.

Mold is the microscopic fungi you can find living on

plants, animals,

and even in buildings.

Molds form branches that are like thin threads called hyphae.

These can burrow into food, something you might miss since they can be difficult to see.

If you do notice mold growing on your food,

your first question will probably be,

hmm, "should I throw this away?"

So we've put together a little guide to help you figure it out.

If you find mold on soft foods like yogurts,

jams, peaches, or tomatoes,

you should throw them out right away.

But if you find mold on harder foods like cheese, carrots, or hard salami,

it's ok to cut the mold out and eat the rest of your food.

Harder, denser foods are more difficult for mold to penetrate,

meaning it can’t spread inwards as quickly as it can in softer foods.

But let's imagine that you didn't have this handy guide, and you ate some moldy food.

What would happen to you?

Well, the biggest problem wouldn't be the mold itself.

It's the other things that come along with the mold that could really hurt you.

First off, there's the invisible bacteria that can accompany the mold.

If you eat that bacteria you would experience stomach pain, vomiting,

and several urgent trips to the washroom.

But that would be nothing compared to the damage that would come

from eating something called mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are poisonous substances that are produced by certain strains of mold;

they can be found in a variety of foods,

and can survive almost all kinds of food processing.

There are many kinds of mycotoxins, about 500 to be specific.

Perhaps the most dangerous variety is known as aflatoxin.

Aflatoxin grows on corn and peanuts.

Too much aflotoxin can cause liver damage, cancer,

DNA damage, and immune system deficiency.

But not all mold is harmful.

In fact, some people eat mold on purpose.

Take blue cheese, for example;

it's produced using the non-toxic blue molds penicillium roqueforti and penicillium glaucum.

These molds have anti-bacterial properties that enable them to suppress pathogens.

They also break down proteins,

which is why blue cheese is so creamy and has a sharp flavor.

Just like most things on our planet, there's more to mold than meets the eye.

Sure it can make you sick, but

it's also the key to one of the most powerful antibiotics of all time:

Penicillin.

Maybe there's another world-changing innovation

just waiting to be discovered somewhere in that fuzzy blue mess,

but that's a topic for another WHAT IF.