When you open the refrigerator and find a piece green cheeseor a package of chicken with a faint sour smell, it may be tempting to risk your stomach rather than throw away the food.
But the line between harmless fermentation and dangerous spoilage is sharp. Consuming spoiled foods exposes the body to a range of microbial toxins and biochemical byproducts, many of which can interfere with important biological processes. Health effects can range from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to severe illnesses such as liver disease. Cancer.
Nuts and grains
In plant-based foods such as grains and nuts, fungi are the main culprits of spoilage, producing fuzzy patches of mold in shades of green, yellow, black or white that typically emit a musty odor. As colorful as they are, many of these molds produce toxic chemicals called mycotoxins.
Two common fungi found on grains and nuts such as corn, sorghum, rice and peanuts are Aspergillus yellow And A. parasiticus. They can produce mycotoxins known as aflatoxinswhich form molecules called epoxides that can cause mutations when they bind to DNA. Repeated exposure to aflatoxins may damage the liver And has been linked to liver cancerespecially for people who already have other risk factors, such as hepatitis B infection.
Fusarium are another group of fungal pathogens that can form mold on grains such as wheat, barley and corn. especially in high humidity. Infected grains may be discolored, pinkish or reddish in color, and have a musty odor. Fusarium mushrooms produce mycotoxins called trichotheceneswhich can damage cells and irritate the digestive tract. They also do another toxin, fumonisin B1.which disrupts how cells build and maintain their outer membranes. Over time these effects may harm the liver and kidneys.
If the grains or nuts look moldy, discolored or shriveled, or have an unusual odor, it is best to err on the side of caution and throw them away. Aflotoxins are known to be particularly potent. cancer causing agentstherefore they have no safe exposure level.
Fruits
Fruits may also contain mycotoxins. When they are damaged, overripe, or stored in damp conditions, mold can easily become infected and begin producing these harmful substances.
One important person is a blue mold called Extended brush which is best known for attacking apples, but also affects pears, cherries, peaches and other fruits. This fungus produces patulin, a toxin that interacts with key enzymes in cells, interfering with normal cell functions and generating unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species that can damage DNA, proteins and fats. Patulin in large quantities may damage important organs such as kidneys, liver, digestive tract and immune system.
P. extendedBlue and green cousins Italian pencil And Finger penciloften fly on oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits. It's unclear whether they produce dangerous toxins, but they taste terrible.
It's tempting to simply cut off the moldy parts of the fruit and eat the rest. However, molds can secrete microscopic root-like structures called hyphae that penetrate deep into the food. potentially releasing toxins even in seemingly unaffected parts. It is safest to discard moldy fruit, especially soft fruit where the hyphae grow more easily. Do this at your own risk, but for hard fruits I sometimes just cut off the moldy bits.
Cheese
Cheese demonstrates the benefits of controlled microbial growth. In fact, mold is an essential component of many of the cheeses you know and love. Blue cheeses such as Roquefort and Stilton get their characteristic tangy flavor from chemicals produced by a fungus called Roquefort brush. And the soft white rind of cheeses like Brie or Camembert improves their flavor and texture.
On the other hand, unwanted mold appears fuzzy or powdery and may take on an unusual color. Greenish-black or reddish mold, sometimes caused by Aspergillus the species may be toxic and should be discarded. Also types such as Regular brush produce cyclopiazonic acid, a mycotoxin that disrupts the flow of calcium across cell membranespotentially impairing muscle and nerve function. At high enough levels, it can cause tremors or other nervous system symptoms. Fortunately, such cases are rare, and spoiled dairy products usually give off a strong, sour, stinky odor.
As a general rule, throw away soft cheeses such as ricotta, cream cheese and cottage cheese at the first sign of mold. Because these cheeses contain more moisture, strands of mold can spread easily.
Hard cheeses, including cheddar, Parmesan and Swiss, are less porous. So cutting off at least an inch around the moldy spot is a safer option—just be careful not to touch the mold with the knife.
Meat
Although mold is the leading cause of spoilage in plants and dairy products, bacteria are the primary agents of meat degradation. Telltale signs of spoilage include a slimy texture, discoloration, often greenish or brownish, and a sour or putrid odor.
Some harmful bacteria do not cause noticeable changes in odor, appearance or texture, making it difficult to assess the safety of meat based on sensory signals alone. However, this odor is caused by chemicals such as cadaverine and putrescine, which are formed when meat decomposes and can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps, as well as headaches, hot flashes or drops in blood pressure.
Spoiled meat is rife with bacterial hazards. colicommon contaminant in beefproduces Shiga toxin, which is asphyxiating the ability of some cells to produce proteins and can cause a dangerous kidney disease called hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The bird often carries bacterium Campylobacter jejuniwhich produces a toxin that enters the cells of the gastrointestinal tract, often leading to diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. It can also trigger the body's immune system to attack its own nerves, potentially causing a rare condition called Guillain-Barré syndromewho can cause temporary paralysis.
Salmonella, found in eggs and undercooked chicken, is one of the most common types of food poisoning, causing diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramps. It releases toxins into the lining of the small and large intestines, which cause widespread inflammation. Clostridium perfringens also affects the intestines, but its toxins act by damaging cell membranes. AND Clostridium botulinumwhich can be hidden in improperly stored or preserved meat, produces botulinum toxin, one of the the most powerful biological poisons — deadly even in small quantities.
Meat may not be completely bacteria-free, but the longer it sits in the refrigerator—or worse, on the counter or in a grocery bag—the more those bacteria multiply. And you can't cook this crap. Most bacteria are killed at meat-safe temperatures—145 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (63 to 74 C)—but many bacterial toxins are heat-stable and will survive cooking.
This edited article is republished from Talk under Creative Commons license. Read original article.
