Food Safety Focus (153rd Issue, April 2019) – Food Incident Highlight

Avoid Consuming Mouldy Food

Mouldy food – to eat or not to eat? Some claim it is safe to eat mouldy food simply by scraping off the mouldy parts from the food.  However, this can be risky, as it is indeed difficult to identify and clear the affected portion away.

According to the Food Standards Agency of the United Kingdom, some species of mould can produce toxins that have adverse health effects on humans, and consumers are advised not to eat food that is obviously rotten or containing mould. While it is possible that removing the mould and a significant amount of the surrounding product might remove any unseen toxins present, there is no guarantee that by doing so, all of them would be  removed.

To ensure food safety, it is recommended in general not to consume but discard the mouldy food. Perishable food and leftovers should be refrigerated and consumed as soon as possible.