Mouldy food

Moulds are visible but other organisms that cause food to decay such as bacteria are not. Since many micror0gansm release large quantities of spores into the air and some people are allergic to these, mouldy foods should be kept in closed plastic bags or other closed containers.

Moulds are fungi composed of many cells. Most of them have a thread-like structure, live on plant or animal material and thrive in a warm, humid conditions.

Under a microscope they look like narrow mushrooms, with root threads which can extend very deeply into the food, and a stalk rising above the food.

The presence of mould has a major impact on the quality of grain for example. Nobody wants to eat mouldy food. Mould-contaminated grain is often discarded, is certainly difficult to sell, and will either cause grain to be rejected or at best downgraded with a loss in value.

However, mouldy grain is usually retained for brewing beer or is fed to livestock.
Mouldy food