Mold Formation in Foods

Mold Formation in Food Experts note that when products are not packaged and stored under proper conditions, molds, yeasts and bacteria can easily develop and compromise food quality. They state that if moldy food has a firm texture, it can be cleaned and consumed, but if the food has a soft texture, it must be disposed of under appropriate conditions. Food Engineer Selen Akbulut emphasizes that molds can easily develop in high-humidity and oxygen-rich environments and recommends that to prevent their formation, refrigerators should be cleaned regularly, attention should be paid to the hygiene of storage containers, and leftover food should be consumed without delay. Akbulut recommends that special green-veined cheeses should definitely not be consumed if black and red spots are visible. Selen Akbulut, Instructor at the Food Technology Program of Üsküdar University School of Health Services, provided assessments regarding moldy foods and shared her recommendations on the consumption of such foods.  

Surface mold begins to form from the layer beneath

  Food Engineer Selen Akbulut, noting that molds hold a particularly important place in food microbiology, especially in food spoilage, stated: "Foods, due to the variety of components they contain and the water they possess, are an invaluable source for the development of microorganisms. For this reason, especially molds, yeasts and bacteria, when products are not packaged and stored under proper conditions, can easily develop and compromise food quality. Many consumers can see mold formation on the surfaces of foods even when stored in a refrigerator or under proper conditions. In fact, even though we see it only on the surface, this formation has actually reached from the lower layers of the food to the top. In other words, this is only the visible part of the mold fungi."

If moldy food has a soft texture, it must be disposed of immediately

Food Engineer Selen Akbulut stated that the basic answer to the question 'Can the mold on the surface of a food showing mold growth be cleaned and reused?' is hidden in the quality of the food and continued as follows:   "If the food has a firm texture, mold fungi cannot penetrate deeply into the food. For this reason, there is no problem in cutting away and using the moldy parts. Conversely, we can revalue our foods with an approach that prevents food waste. However, if the food has a soft texture, in this case, cleaning the molds on the surface will unfortunately not be sufficient. These food items need to be disposed of properly. Consumption of such moldy foods, particularly causes the ingestion of toxicological formations produced by molds called 'mycotoxins.' These substances accumulate in our bodies over time, playing a role in the development of chronic diseases, especially cancer types. If our food has a soft texture, the mold will spread throughout the entire food, and in addition to its own development, it will create an environment conducive to the development of other food pathogens. Therefore, consumption of such foods absolutely puts consumer health at risk. We can say that these foods do not conform to the definition of safe food. For this reason, these foods must be separated from other consumable quality foods and disposed of immediately."

Here are tips to prevent mold formation…

  Food Engineer Selen Akbulut, noting that molds, due to their structure, can develop very rapidly in high-humidity and oxygen-rich environments, said: "Since molds are organisms that reproduce through spores, these spore cells can easily be carried through the air and deposited on other foods, damaging them as well. Even though we often think our foods are safe when stored in a refrigerator, we witness them becoming moldy." She then listed the necessary steps for storing food more safely in a few points as follows:

• Refrigerator interior should be cleaned regularly,
• High humidity formation should be prevented in areas where foods are stored,
• Storage containers used against mold formation should be hygienic and their lids should be tightly closed,
• Leftover food should be consumed without delay,
• The kitchen should be ventilated regularly.
• If black and red spots are present, they should not be consumed

  Food Engineer Selen Akbulut, recalling that our country has hundreds of different cheese types produced using various methods in terms of cheese diversity, stated: "Cheeses are also a good source of protein and fat. Naturally or industrially produced molded cheeses are consumed in our country as in many other countries. In the world, France's famous Roquefort cheese, England's Blue Cheese, and Italy's Gorgonzola cheese are nutritious molded cheeses. In our country, Erzurum, Sivas, Kars, Ardahan, Erzincan and Konya are the most common places where molded cheese production and consumption takes place. Our cheeses, mostly molded whey cheese varieties and what we call fermented fresh cheeses, are produced by molding and consumed with their mold on the surface. First, it should be noted for this situation. There is no health concern in consuming these cheeses produced in a controlled manner by reliable food producers. We can say that these foods are no different from other fermented foods such as yogurt, ayran, pickles, turnip juice and vinegar produced using microorganisms." She spoke as follows. Akbulut continued: "Mold fungi, not bacteria or yeast cells, are used in producing these cheeses. Scientific studies have proven that these molds have no negative pathogenic effects on human health. However, one of the most important characteristics to be careful about is this: these cheeses generally show green mold growth on their surface. This indicates the presence of the Penicillium spp. type mold being used. If mold formation is seen in the form of black and red spots in addition to this color, those cheeses should not be consumed. These molds may be the mycotoxin-producing mold types mentioned earlier. These mold types are harmful to human health." Molded cheeses should be obtained from reliable sellers Noting that the cheeses sold as 'molded cheese' in our country are varieties produced within our own culture, Üsküdar University Food Technology Program Instructor Selen Akbulut stated: "Konya (Divle Cheese), Erzurum (Kerti Cheese), Hatay (Cooked Sürk Cheese), Burdur (Molded Whey Cheese) and Ardahan (Molded Cheese) are among the leading cities where molded cheese takes different names and is consumed. When purchasing these cheeses, the main issue consumers should pay attention to is obtaining them from reliable sellers. Cheese producers should use reliable starter mold fungi with defined species and types and carry out the molding of the food in a manner appropriate to its quality. The purchase of cheeses produced in our villages and molded naturally can have toxic effects with no return for consumers. There are numerous scientific studies showing that cheeses produced in our villages and molded in an unhygienic and uncontrolled manner can be harmful." She said.