Identification: mold

Discussion in 'Fungi, Lichens and Slime Molds' started by phiphi49, Mar 9, 2011.

  1. phiphi49

    phiphi49 Member

    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    America
    (phiphi49 has chosen to delete the original post: So to provide context for this thread, the question was regarding information about mold found in a processed food product.
    - this edit added by frog)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 10, 2011
  2. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,531
    Likes Received:
    319
    Location:
    B.C., Canada
    Hi Phiphi49,

    Mold comes in many interesting colours, and usually requires a microscope to identify species.
    A mold expert might know of species that like this particular substrate, but it is still a hard question and impossible to verify from the photos provided.

    Cool question though: I would generally figure that products like this would be so loaded with preservatives, antifungals and so forth as to be a really unfriendly environment for mold.

    I read some interesting material years ago on fungi that specialize in difficult substrates like salted/preserved fish and high-sugar jams. These fungi species have adapted to a ... ah I'm forgetting the terminology... I think it was termed a low water ratio. The gist was that salt and sugar have a preserving quality because they reduce the water in a given area, thus making it a more hostile substrate for fungi, presumably for bacteria etc also. Only tough critters can survive there.

    Noting also that "tough critter" qualities would not necessarily imply increased toxicity if ingested by a human, to return to your questions. There are some aggressive fungi out there, exuding harsh toxins, that are happily and benignly consumed by humans all the time.

    cheers, and much luck to you on your mold ID quest
    -frog
     
  3. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    3,417
    Likes Received:
    364
    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Hey, Frog---could the mold have been introduced by a kitchen tool, or something which dripped off of it onto the surface of the Cool Whip?

    Aspergillus flavus, maybe?
     
  4. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,531
    Likes Received:
    319
    Location:
    B.C., Canada
    That makes sense Togata, which would certainly expand the range of mold species possibilities.

    You may be right about Aspergillus flavus: I honestly don't have a list in my head of kitchen fungi likely suspects, and my mold knowledge could fit into a very small Coolwhip container <grin>.

    Actually, a list of kitchen fungi would be a lovely list to learn! Would anyone in this forum be willing to share one? I'm thinking the fungi that inhabit foods (eg Aspergillus flavus), but maybe also the fungi that are used to make foods (eg Geotrichum candidum)

    cheers,
    frog
     
  5. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    3,417
    Likes Received:
    364
    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Whoa! Just a fast Googling of this subject provides much food for thought. (OK, that pun was intentional.) Had no idea that the cholesterol-lowering drug Lovastatin is derived from Aspergillus terreus!
    Yeah, Frog, this is really interesting.
     
  6. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,057
    Likes Received:
    98
    Location:
    Kootenays, BC, Canada
    "There are some aggressive fungi out there, exuding harsh toxins, that are happily and benignly consumed by humans all the time."
    Could you please enlighten me a little bit on this Frog?
     
  7. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,531
    Likes Received:
    319
    Location:
    B.C., Canada
    I did not know that either Togata - and I'm really glad you mentioned that, because I've been noticing recently the great number of macro/fleshy fungi species that are being used to lower/regulate cholesterol, but I'd not encountered molds mentioned in this context. Interesting: So that quality is apparently common to a wide taxonomic spectrum of the fungi...


    Hi Sundrop: My tendency for the dramatic description aside .... there are a number of fungi which supplement their cellulose/lignin/etc diet with mobile nitrogen sources; predating on microfauna using a variety of impressive traps and poisons. For example, Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) are deadly predators in the microsphere, aside from being primarily wood-decayers, but apparently we humans are too big to be affected by the miniscule quantity of toxins they use. We eat oysters all the time, they're tasty and have good medicinal qualities as well.
    And that inspires a new question: Could the chemistry that creates the toxin be related to the substances that give oyster mushrooms positive medicinal qualities for us?

    Thanks to you both,
    -frog
     

Share This Page