I’m a doctor – why you should NEVER cut the mould off old bread and still eat ‘the clean bits’
A DOCTOR explained why you should never cut the mould off a loaf of bread and eat the “clean bits”.
Dr Karan Raj often updates his TikTok followers with tips to make sure they stay well and healthy.
He explained that you can’t see the full extent of the fungus on your food so you can’t know for sure if you have removed all of it.
Taking to TikTok, he said: “Here’s why you shouldn’t cut mould out of bread and other foods and eat the clean bits.
“You might think it’s ok to cut off the mouldy parts and eat the rest of the food but that green and white fuzz that you see is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Mould is a type of fungus and just like mushrooms it has a vast number of roots called hyphae which can dig deeper into soft foods like bread.
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“These roots can spread underneath the visible surface and go undetected to the naked eye.
“On the top of the stalks are sporangia these generate spores that can launch into the air and contaminate the nearby area.
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“So even if you can’t see it, it’s very likely that the whole food is riddled with mould.
“This same concept applies to other foods like fruit and jam so if in doubt, toss it out.”
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He captioned the short clip with the comment: “Don’t cut mould from food and eat the ‘clean’ bits!”
Eating a very small amount of mould is unlikely to harm a healthy adult, although it’s not ideal and not very pleasant.
But Dr Rudolph Bedford, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, explained that in very large quantities, it can make you unwell.
Speaking to Woman’s Health, he said: “It’s very uncommon that you’re going to get [really] sick from mould.”
But he explained that if you do get unwell and you symptoms included nausea and vomiting, you should definitely speak to a doctor.
It’s likely they’ll give you some anti-nausea medication to help you ride it out, or possibly something to induce vomiting or diarrhoea to help shift it from your system.
Fellow TikTokers were quick to comment on the enlightening video.
One said: “I grew up in poverty, I ate mouldy bread because I was starving, I don’t hate my parents, bad things happen to good people.”
Another said: “My Nan always cut away the mouldy bits of food & fed the rest to me when I was growing up. I’m a healthy 61 yr old but will now take heed to you Doc.”
A third said: “Always did it and still do! Old school, no waste when money was tight!”
Another person asked: “What about cheese, I’ve been cutting mould off for years. I’m 60 and still here.”
Someone, though not the doctor, replied: “Blocks of cheese are different, if you get a mould spot on a block measure out one inch all the way around the mould and cut it off.”
Plenty of people joked that they needed to inform members of their family of this news.
One said: “Someone explain this to my nan.”
Another wrote: “*Sends to mom*”
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While a third said: “Lemme just show my mum this.”
And another said: “We need to tell dad.”