If I open a box of berries and one
berry is moldy, do I need to throw out the whole box?
Fresh
strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are among
some people’s favorite fruits, but their goodness can be fleeting. Within a few
days of bringing them home from the farmers market or grocery store, it’s
common to find that some gray or white fuzz has staked a claim to a berry or
two, prompting many to wonder: Are the rest safe to eat?
اضافة اعلان
Food safety experts say that while you shouldn’t eat berries
that are obviously moldy, those without visible signs of the spores are fine to
eat. And luckily, unlike other food safety concerns that may be invisible to
the naked eye, berries with mold growth are easy to spot, said Benjamin
Chapman, a professor and food safety specialist at
North Carolina State University. (Botanically minded readers may note that many fruits commonly
known as berries, including strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, aren’t
true berries, but we will describe them as such for the sake of simplicity.)
If his basket or clamshell is tainted by one or two moldy
berries, “I don’t throw out the whole thing,” Chapman said. Instead, he tosses
the moldy ones and carefully inspects adjoining berries for fuzz, which often
appears around a bruise or the site of stem attachment. With the rest, he tries
to eat them soon, because lingering mold spores may spread and develop more
fuzz in a day or two.
Molds are a type of fungi that, when viewed under a microscope,
often “look like skinny mushrooms,” according to the
US Department of Agriculture (USDA). They grow threadlike roots that invade the interior of the
food, and tiny stalks topped with spores on the surface. Certain types of molds
produce toxins that can be harmful if eaten, and in some people, molds can
trigger allergic reactions, Chapman said.
The good news for berry eaters is that the molds commonly
found on them “are actually not known to produce toxins, like some fungi do,
and so there’s less risk,” said Elizabeth Mitcham, a professor and director of
the Postharvest Technology Center at the
University of California, Davis. Foods
that have been found to grow these more dangerous molds include nuts, grains,
and apples, she said.
Because molds on berries are usually innocuous, even
accidentally eating a moldy berry — though not recommended — would be unlikely
to make you sick, Mitcham said. Also, “you would probably spit it out before
you managed to swallow it,” because moldy berries “have a very off, very bad
flavor,” she added.
Mold is a common enemy of berry growers and sellers, so it’s
not surprising to find it in your berry basket, Mitcham said. Mold spores are
ubiquitous in the environment; they can be carried by air or water and live in
the soil of farm fields. The spores typically infect a berry plant’s flowers or
fruit and then lie dormant until the fruit fully ripens. Given enough time,
those spores will eventually germinate and can spread to adjoining fruits,
especially in warmer temperatures, Mitcham said.
Because mold spores are so pervasive, they’re probably
present in small amounts on most fresh produce you eat. “I’m likely consuming
mold spores all the time, and those mold spores are not making me sick,”
Chapman said.
Molds become more dangerous when they grow and invade deeper
into the food product, where some types produce toxins. While this isn’t
usually a problem with berries because of their shape, small size, and the
types of molds that grow on them, it is a greater concern with larger foods
that are moist or have a soft or porous texture, like leftover meats or
casseroles, jams, and jellies, soft cheeses, and breads. If there is mold on
the surface of these foods, you should assume they are contaminated within and
throw them away, according to the USDA.
Before buying berries, inspect them carefully and avoid
purchasing any with even slight signs of mold, Chapman said. At home, do
another quick check and remove any
fruit that is visibly moldy; then
refrigerate the rest as soon as possible, Mitcham said. Don’t wash berries
until just before you plan to eat them or cook with them, because moisture
encourages mold growth, she added.
Mold spores can settle and survive on surfaces, so it’s a
good idea to clean your fridge regularly “to break the mold spore cycle,”
Chapman said. The USDA recommends cleaning the inside of your fridge with a
tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water every few months. And
if you discover food that’s “egregiously moldy” in your fridge, you might decide
that “Yep, today’s the day that I’m going to clean it out,” to prevent too many
spores from making themselves at home and spreading to other foods, he added.
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