Friday, November 24, 2006

Moldy Food

Q. Is it safe to eat food when it shows the slightest bit of mold?

A. Some molds produce carcinogenic aflatoxins so it is a good policy to follow these basic food safety tips:
  1. You do not need to throw out these foods if a small amount of mold appears on them: jam, jelly, hard cheese, firm fruits and vegetables. Use a clean knife or spoon to remove all the mold and a bit more around the area. If the food still has an 'off' taste then throw it out.
  2. Toss out these foods even with the slightest appearance of mold: cream, sour cream, yogurt, bread, cake, buns, pastries, corn on the cob, nuts, flour, whole grains, rice, dried peas or beans and peanut butter.
Source: The Safe Shopper's Bible (1995) by David Steinman & Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I guess I shouldn't have eaten that moldy piece of bread this morning.