If you’re a fan of blue cheese, you may think it’s perfectly fine to eat some mold. You’ve done it before and been OK, right?
That’s understandable and, in some cases, true. Mold isn’t always bad — but it can be.
“Eating moldy bread can upset your digestive system or cause allergic reactions, depending on the type of mold,” said Chris Mohr, a fitness and nutrition adviser at the website Garage Gym Reviews.
Dr. Kelly Krisna Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicologist with the MedStar Health hospital system, explained how this can happen. “Some types of mold that are found in spoiled bread, including Aspergillus and Penicillium, are also associated with allergies that can occur immediately or hours after people come into contact with them,” she said.
She added that gastrointestinal symptoms — like abdominal pain and diarrhea — may come from mycotoxins, which are secondary compounds from mold. They can change normal intestinal functions, with unpleasant results.
Those aren’t the only issues you may face, unfortunately. Even breathing in mold can cause health problems, according to Balls. People with asthma are especially at risk, Johnson-Arbor added, as the allergens can trigger breathing difficulties.
Johnson-Arbor recommended playing it safe. “Since some types of mold can cause unwanted health problems, and since it’s impossible for most people to tell whether a specific mold is harmful or not based on its appearance on food, it’s best to avoid consuming most moldy foods,” she said.
If you want a cheat sheet on when mold may be safe to eat (or eat around), check out this webpage from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.