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Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?
What Are Molds?
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or
animal matter. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range
from tens of thousands to perhaps 300,000 or more. Most are filamentous
(threadlike) organisms and the production of spores is characteristic of fungi
in general. These spores can be transported by air, water, or insects.
Unlike bacteria that are one-celled, molds are made of many cells and can
sometimes be seen with the naked eye. Under a microscope, they look like skinny
mushrooms. In many molds, the body consists of:
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root threads that invade the food it lives on,
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a stalk rising above the food, and
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spores that form at the ends of the stalks.
The spores give mold the color you see. When airborne, the spores spread the
mold from place to place like dandelion seeds blowing across a meadow.
Molds have branches and roots that are like very thin threads. The roots may be
difficult to see when the mold is growing on food and may be very deep in the
food. Foods that are moldy may also have invisible bacteria growing along with
the mold.
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
Food Saftey and Inspection Service
http://www.fsis.usda.gov
September 2005 |
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