What happens if eat moldy cheese

Many have a body that consist of root threads that invade the food it lives on, a stalk that rises above the food, and spores that form at the ends of the stalks. Foods that are moldy can also have invisible, harmful bacteria like Listeria, Salmonella, and E. The type of food matters here, she says. Mold may be more likely to spread widely in soft foods, ruining even the parts that look OK, while it may be more localized in dense, hard foods, like a Parmesan cheese. Again, there is a wide range of molds out there.

Some will do nothing, while others can make you really sick. Certain molds can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems, the USDA says. Other cheeses may have an internal and a surface mold. Besides appearance, odor can also indicate mold. This way, you can evaluate its freshness moving forward. Keep in mind that dangerous spores can also occur on mold-grown cheeses. This means that the rest of the product is likely safe to eat.

To salvage it, trim at least 1 inch 2. Any signs of mold on these kinds, which include cream cheese, cottage cheese , and ricotta, mean that it should be thrown out at once — as the spores can easily contaminate the entire product 4. Soft cheeses should be thrown out if spores appear, while hard ones can be salvaged by cutting around the molded area. Molds can carry harmful bacteria, including E.

The symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it may lead to death. Dangerous molds can also produce mycotoxins, the effects of which range from acute food poisoning to immune deficiency and even cancer.

In particular, the carcinogen aflatoxin has been shown to increase your risk of liver cancer 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , The best way to minimize your risk of mycotoxin exposure is to avoid eating moldy food and practice safe food storage 9 , Harmful mold can carry bacteria and mycotoxins that may cause food poisoning, immune deficiency, and even cancer. The texture should be smooth without any hardened or yellowed spots 4.

When purchasing mold-grown cheeses, keep an eye out for any fuzzy, off-color spots. Treat the blue-veined areas as a baseline to evaluate whether any unusual colors or textures appear.

Wrapping your cheese tightly in plastic wrap can also help prevent mold spores 4. Mold growth can be prevented through proper cheese storage. Blue and soft-ripened cheeses are grown with specific molds and safe to eat. If you're seeing mold on soft cheeses though, don't continue to use it on your cauliflower pizza.

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