Researcher: Harm From Eating Mould May Appear Only After Many Years
A researcher warns that many moulds release fungal toxins that can affect health. The damage may build up and show itself years later rather than right away.
Mould found on food is not merely a matter of appearance or taste. A researcher points out that many moulds release fungal toxins, known as mycotoxins, which can affect human health.
The questions people ask most often concern everyday situations: whether it is acceptable to eat a grandmother's homemade fruit preserve (known in Latvian as zapte) after the top layer has been removed, and whether bread is still fine to eat if only one slice has gone bad.
Harm can be cumulative
The key problem, according to the researcher, is that damage caused by mould can be cumulative. That means health effects may not appear immediately after eating mouldy food and may only show up after many years. Feeling fine afterwards is therefore no proof that no harm was done.
The examples mentioned, preserve with its top layer removed and a loaf with a single spoiled slice, are typical cases in which people tend to assume that cutting away the visible mould is enough. The excerpt of the material gives only a general answer to these questions: the effects of the toxins on health are possible and can be long-term.
