What You Need To Know About Mold

Molds are fungi that cause spoilt food and some diseases as well. Not all of them are dangerous; some even lend a hand in degrading food and other natural wastes. Other types of mold are also instrumental in making beverages, food and medicine. These fungi can be seen anywhere in the world and can virtually survive at some of the more extremes temperatures.

What Are Molds

Mold are microscopic fungi that grow on dead things which are organic by nature. They are so small that people can only see them when they are in their millions. Mold colonies can grow in a matter of hours. These colonies grow as a result of a combination of humidity and temperature. They reproduce in different ways, some reproduce asexually, while other reproduce sexually and yet others can reproduce both ways. Most molds need moisture in order to survive and to multiply along with the right food. These specialized fungi grow as an interconnected entity that has interconnections among themselves.

The Effect of Mold on Our Health

Some types of mold produce allergens which in turn can affect humans if the allergens are inhaled. These allergens may cause allergic reactions like a runny nose and watery eyes, along with sneezing. They may also cause an asthma attack or a skin rash on certain highly sensitive individuals. Molds can also produce a potentially deadly toxin called mycotoxins. This mold product can kill if ingested and it can also affect livestock and poultry through the feeds they consume and still reach humans in an entirely different level because the mycotoxins do not easily degrade or decompose.

Ina total reversal of a deadly role in humans, mold is used to produce penicillin, the antibiotic, to help in some human diseases and sickness. Alexander Fleming was the genius who discovered this medicine that helped save many human lives. To think that this antibiotic comes from a potentially deadly fungs th

Mold can also help humans with the production of some beverages and foods. The more common foods they help produce are several kinds of cheeses and also tempeh and quorn. Tempeh is very similar to tofu while quorn is an exclusive brand of food made from edible fungi. Beverages that mold help to produce are sake and some sort of black tea. In other countries, mold is also used in the production of sausages. Mold can also produce substances like gluconic acid and citric acid.