Visual experiences in biology lessons help students learn more quickly and get the most out of the lesson. But besides, it is very interesting and exciting. Very often, teachers ask students to conduct laboratory work on growing mold and record each of its stages.

To properly grow a fungus at home, you need a minimum of costs and a maximum of patience. Although this process is not long, we all want to see the result faster.

What is mold

What is mold and where does it come from on bread. The subject of our study is nothing more than a fungus that takes root in a warm environment and grows on food and or in humid places.

There are two types of mold: toxic and non-toxic. The first is dangerous to health, and if accidentally swallowed or inhaled, it will cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases can affect the nervous system and brain function. The second, on the contrary, is a remedy and is used in folk and traditional medicine.

The mold we see on food in the refrigerator should not be eaten. If you accidentally take a bite and swallow a spoiled product, take activated charcoal immediately and drink plenty of water.

Mold spores are carried by the air, and, falling into a favorable environment, begin to actively multiply. They love damp wood, paper, glue, plaster, food. If the room where the spores are caught is poorly ventilated, it will be difficult to remove it.

All that is needed for the active growth of fungi is moist air and nutrition. In our case, the food will be bread. There are several ways to do an experiment, but we will consider 2 of the simplest and most illustrative of them.

How to grow mold:

1. Take a saucer, place a piece of paper or natural fabric on top of it and sprinkle with a few drops of water. Place a piece of bread on top (white is better, so it will be easier to observe the mold). Cover the saucer with cling film or place it in a bag and tie. Add a few drops of water to your bread every day. After 3-4 days, first white and then green mold will appear.
2. Take a glass jar and place the bread in it. Moisten it with water from a spray bottle and close the lid. Move the jar to a dark place and watch the result every day.

You can just put a piece of bread in a bag and tie it, but then it will be difficult to bring it to school without damaging the integrity of the mold.

Mold growing stages

When you start your experiment, remember to record your observations on paper. It's even better if you manage to photograph them. As it grows, the mold will change color and volume, capturing all the new space:

1. Stage one. After 2-3 days after the start of the experiment, white spots will appear on the bread, so the mold begins to "master" in the new territory.
2. Stage two. The mold turns green. This happens 3-4 days after placing the bread under the bag. If earlier it appeared in separate areas, now they grow together. This means that all conditions are met correctly.
3. Stage three. It is not necessary to bring bread to such a state, you can limit yourself to the first two stages. But if you want to see what happens next, then feel free to wait a few more days. During this time, the mold will turn into black spots, which will indicate that new spores are forming on it. This is an important stage in the life of fungi, on which it depends whether they will continue to multiply or not.

Since this type of mold is toxic, some safety rules must be followed. For example, if you open a bag or film, then do not breathe over the bread so that spores do not enter your body. It is better to put gloves on your hands while spraying, and then wash them thoroughly.

The entire process described takes 5 to 7 days. But what if you need to grow mold quickly, in a day or two. This, of course, is unlikely, but worth a try. Again, for the sake of experiment:

1. Fungi love warmth, so place the bread over a radiator or somewhere above room temperature.
2. If you have moldy cheese or spoiled foods at home, place the already ripe fungi on the bread. They will take root pretty quickly, which will greatly speed up the process.
3. Add milk instead of water; mold grows faster in this environment.
4. In order for the fungus to grow quickly, remove it on purchased bread, preferably not the first freshness.
5. Some young experimenters have noticed that mold grows rapidly on yeast-free unsweetened bread.

But it's best not to leave your homework until the last moment, but to prepare it in advance.

Where else does mold grow

Such, at first glance, an unpleasant process, like growing mold, in fact, turns out to be very exciting. You can expand the scope of your homework and try to develop the fungus on other foods:

1. Vegetables or fruits. Mold grows on them in a completely different way, it looks more like mushrooms and has many different shades.
2. If you want to amaze the teacher with the uniqueness, then make mashed potatoes from vegetables or fruits, add gelatin or agar-agar to it and place under a film. In this case, the mold will have an intricate pattern and an unusual color.
3. Some go even further and add an antibiotic to the jelly so that bacteria don't develop in it and mold can grow unhindered. This will speed up the process and make your experiment unique.

Which type of mold growing will you choose. The simplest or most unusual. Around us every day there are many interesting events that you can watch and make amazing discoveries. In any case, do not forget to follow the process and write down useful conclusions.

No dinner is complete without such a product as bread. For breakfast, many people prefer toast or bread croutons. This product is especially tasty fresh, only from the oven. But, today, less and less housewives bake the product on their own. In mass production of bread, technology may not be adhered to. Therefore, the appearance of mold on bread is often observed as early as 2 days after production. Why is this happening? And what is the danger of mold?

The causes of mold

There are two types of mold - toxic, non-toxic. Everyone has probably heard of noble cheese with mold, on which mold is specially grown. For this, special conditions and technologies are created. If mold develops on the product after a while on its own, it is toxic and dangerous. Mold on bread is a fungus that thrives in a favorable environment. Such an environment is a spoiled, low-quality product. This mold is very dangerous to human health.

According to the standard, the shelf life of bread is 3 days. After this time, it begins to harden. But, cases have become more frequent when mold appears on the product on the second day. Why is this happening? On, then there are several reasons:

• Failure to comply with sanitary standards in the production of bakery products;
• Incorrect storage;
• The use of low-quality products in the preparation of bread;
• Unbaked loaf.

It is the lack of hygiene and the required sanitation standards that leads to the fact that the room and utensils in which the product is prepared are dirty. Spores of fungi enter the bread together with insects and rodents. It is also important to store it properly. This applies to both the manufacturer and the buyer. The ideal environment for fungal growth is a warm, humid environment. In such cases, the controversy very quickly spreads to the whole loaf.

Unscrupulous manufacturers, when producing a new batch of bakery products, can add already spoiled, expired, dried products to the dough. If you add just dry, stale crumb, it's okay. It's just that the bread will not turn out to be airy. But, if even one spore of the mushroom gets into the new dough, the whole batch will be spoiled. Mold on the new loaf will appear on the second day. The danger is posed by an unbaked bakery product. Yeast is used in the production of bread. And an unbaked bun is an ideal breeding ground for spores.

Types of mold

You can distinguish the type of mold, determine its danger by color. So, the following types of mold on bread are distinguished:

• Green. This type of mushroom is most often found on baked goods and baked goods. Green mold requires yeast, fermented milk, or fruit. It does not tolerate cold and reproduces only in a warm environment.
• Black. These mushrooms infect bread, fruits, vegetables. Spores multiply in a humid environment.
• Pink. If pink mold appears on bread, it does not pose a big danger. As a rule, it occurs on the remains of food. This type of mushroom is also called wheat potato disease. Infection occurs even at the stage of growing cereals.
• White. Often occurs on cheese and bread. It is very dangerous for human health. It actively reproduces on wooden surfaces (wooden bread bins, cutting boards).
• Gray. It is considered the most toxic type of mushroom. Mold develops in any environment. And it spreads to the entire product evenly, even if it is not visible.

Why is mold on bread dangerous?

Any mold found on food, except for certain types of hard cheeses, is very dangerous to health. And it is not at all necessary to eat it. It is enough to inhale the aroma of moldy bread. Spores of pathogenic microorganisms are in the air, and very easily penetrate the body. What happens to the body if you eat a piece of moldy bread?

Most often black or green mold develops on baked goods. The fungus is visible on the crust of the roll. Therefore, many simply cut off the visible area, and continue to eat the rest of the bread. Doing this is strictly prohibited. After all, invisible spores fill the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe bread. When eating such a product, serious intoxication can occur.

If you breathe mold on bread, the risk of chronic respiratory diseases increases. Some types of fungus affect the nervous system, blood flow, disrupt hormonal levels, and reduce the protective functions of the body. The degree of damage depends on the type of fungus. Also, the duration of inhalation of pathogenic microorganisms is important. It is during inhalation that an instant effect on systems and organs occurs.

So, mold on bread provokes the following symptoms:

• Allergic rhinitis;
• Rash on the skin;
• Epigastric pain;
• Nausea;
• Vomiting;
• Increased fatigue;
• Diarrhea.

If you eat mold on bread, symptoms of poisoning appear within the first 4-50 hours after a meal. The symptoms of intoxication are especially pronounced in the elderly, children and pregnant women. In the future, the risk of bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis increases.

What to do in case of mold poisoning?

If a person has signs of bread mold intoxication, you should definitely call a doctor. Indeed, the patient may experience allergic reactions in the form of Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock, which are life-threatening. Until the doctor arrives, some detoxification measures are being taken.

So, first of all, they cleanse the stomach. The victim needs to drink up to a liter of purified water at one stroke. This will provoke vomiting, which will rid the stomach of residual spores and toxins. Enemas using plain warm water will not be superfluous. Be sure to drink any sorbent. It neutralizes the negative effects of mold and removes it from the body. The most effective drugs in this drug group are the following:

• White coal;
• Atoxil;
• Polysorb;
• Enterosgel;
• Smecta.

Drinking plenty of fluids is important. As soon as the gag reflex stops, you need to drink clean water, or sweet tea. It is worth drinking often, but in small sips. If the patient has a history of any type of allergy, they should be given the antihistamine they are using. The doctor, in a hospital setting, performs the following procedures:

• Droppers for removing toxins and fungal spores from the patient's body;
• Taking enzymes;
• Taking antifungal medications;
• Taking antiemetics;
• Compliance with dietary food.

How to choose quality mold-free bread?

Before you buy a loaf of bread in a store, you need to carefully study the composition of this product. And if the composition contains a baking powder, dyes, preservatives, and most importantly "improvers", such a loaf is potentially dangerous. Enhancers include the following components:

• Amylase enzymes;
• Xylanase enzymes;
• Calcium Acetate;
• L-cysteine;
• Sodium thiosulfate.

They are used to accelerate the maturation of baking dough. Excessive looseness of the loaf is a sign of the presence of such "improvers". When sliced, such bread crumbles heavily, but inside it is almost hollow. If the bakery product is sold without packaging, which indicates the composition, you can choose the bread by evaluating the external characteristics.

High-quality bread is always even, without cracks or dents. Of course, it is worth buying bread without a touch of black or green color. By standard, bread can be stored for no more than 3 days. If the manufacturer indicates a longer shelf life, then it contains preservatives that can provoke the development of certain diseases.

You need to press on the bun. If the original form returns again, then the product is completely baked and does not pose a danger. White stripes on the surface of the loaf indicate that good dough is mixed with old bread in the making. It is better to purchase bakery products at certified outlets, from official manufacturers. It is very important to store the product correctly. Mold can be avoided by placing the bun in a cool, completely dry place. But bread boxes, especially wooden ones, should be avoided.

What will you do if you see a moldy piece of bread? You need to get rid of such products immediately, but there are people who carefully cut off the mold and dry bread on crackers. Mold is a fungus that spoils the appearance of baked goods and is hazardous to health. Why does bread grow moldy and what happens if you eat a spoiled piece? What symptoms should alert and become a reason for an unscheduled visit to the clinic? You will learn about this in the article.

Most often it is bread that suffers from mold.

Mold on the bread

Do you have the opportunity to examine moldy bread through a microscope? Then you will see whole colonies of fungi in the affected areas. Each of the 200 existing types of fungus secretes active substances, most of which are harmful to humans. Fungal spores multiply in any environment, the most favorable conditions for them are warm air and humidity. At temperatures from +20 degrees and above, mold rapidly develops in bread, destroying beneficial microorganisms. The number of spores per 1 cubic meter m premises reaches 17 thousand. With such an amount, contamination of bread is a predictable phenomenon.

Violation of cooking technology

Why does bread grow moldy quickly? The most common reason is a violation of the technology of its production and transportation. The classic recipe assumes a long fermentation process of the dough - 12 hours. Manufacturers, in order not to incur losses, reduce it to 3-4 hours. For this, chemical additives are added to the dough. This approach affects the quality of the finished bread - the dough is baked unevenly, although this is not visually visible. In the morning, a green fungus appears on such baked goods.

Often the reason for the appearance of mold on bread is laid even at the production stage.

Improper storage

The second reason is improper storage. Consumers often store baked goods in plastic bags - this cannot be done, because air does not enter inside, an ideal microclimate is created for the development of fungal spores. A constantly closed bread bin also promotes the development of fungi. Spores affect all flour products stored in it. How to get rid of mold in a bread bin:

• Ventilate it regularly.
• Store flour products in paper bags or without them.
• Remove crumbs daily.

Thoroughly wash and dry the bread bins every 5-7 days so that moisture does not accumulate in them. For processing, you can use ordinary food vinegar - they destroy up to 98 percent of the spores that have settled on surfaces.

Dough crumbs

Baked goods may look delicious and unspoiled, but they have a shelf life of 72 hours. You can't eat bread after three days. Manufacturers sin by grinding it into crumbs, and then adding it to the dough for fresh bread. What to do in such situations? You can understand that expired bread crumbs have been added to baked goods as soon as you start cutting bread. It will crumble, and fungal spores take root and develop instantly in such an environment.

Bread crumb is a semi-finished product of bakery production obtained by grinding bakery products

The opinion that mold has appeared on bread due to contaminated grain or flour is a myth... The spores die when exposed to high temperatures in ovens. The fungus settles on ready-made products and begins to multiply only in the presence of accompanying factors (in some places raw dough, poor ventilation).

Types of mold

A distinctive feature of molds is color. It can be used to assess whether mold is dangerous to health:

You, too, wondered: is it possible to cut off the moldy crust and use the crumb for crackers or for making hot sandwiches? You can't. Discard spoiled flour products.

Why is fungus dangerous for humans?

What happens if you eat bread with traces of gray or black mold? Having eaten one or two chunks at a time, you will not cause serious harm to the body. But if fungal spores enter the body, poisoning is possible. In the lungs and intestines, mold releases mycotoxins that cause poisoning.

If mold trapped in the intestines or respiratory tract begins to release mycotoxins and spores, the body will be poisoned

Mycotoxins:

1. Decrease blood flow.
2. They have a bad effect on the liver and kidneys.
3. Contribute to the formation of ulcers on the gastric mucosa.
4. Reduce immunity.
5. They affect the nervous system.

Eaten bread with the fungus can cause coughing, choking, and other allergic reactions.

How to understand that you have been poisoned?

You can recognize the poisoning by the symptoms characteristic of poisoning with mold spores. Spores pose the greatest health risks, especially if they are inhaled for a long time or get into the blood. With intoxication, a person:

1. Feels weak, nauseous.
2. Tires quickly.
3. Suffering from headaches.

A rash and a runny nose appear on the skin, like with an allergy.

Mold administration syndromes are similar to allergy syndromes

At risk are children and people of mature age, whose immunity has not yet been formed or has already been weakened. Strong immunity is not a panacea, since when a large number of fungi enter, they multiply rapidly and cause mycosis.

How to be?

If you eat moldy bread and feel unwell, you need to remove toxins from the body. Drink as much fluids as possible to flush out toxic substances from your kidneys, induce vomiting, or take activated charcoal. Be sure to be examined at the clinic - only in laboratory conditions can diagnosticians confirm the presence of a fungus in your body, identify it and prescribe qualified treatment.

Prevention

What to do to prevent the formation of mold on bread? Do not cut the bread into pieces, as the fungus forms more often in cut flour products. Control the humidity in the room and in the bread bin. Do not forget to periodically clean the bread bin from dirt. Throw away spoiled baked goods right away before the fungus has infected other foods. Do not store bread for more than 3 days and do not stock up on it for future use.

Mold is a microscopic fungus that is omnivorous and ubiquitous. One cubic meter of clean room air contains up to 500 fungal spores. Mold spores can cause allergies and lung disease. Mold often settles on bread: when kept warm, it becomes covered with a bloom, similar to down, powdered with black dust. Under a microscope, it can be seen that these are colonies of fungi, which consist of fibers with processes.

On some processes, black balls with spores form, while others penetrate the bread and, like roots, feed the body of the fungus. Cutting off "specks" and burning on fire will not save bread from mold: the mycelium penetrates deeply. But if the spores were in the flour from which the bread was baked, this is not scary: in the oven they all die, and the food becomes safe. Then how does mold form on bread?

Bread becomes moldy during storage. The spores in the air first seed the crust and then penetrate the crumb through cracks in the crust. The optimal conditions for mold growth are a temperature of 20-40 ° C, a crust moisture of 70% and a lack of ventilation. Mold on bread comes in different colors: white, greenish, black, and even red.

Bread takes on an unpleasant smell and taste: molds render it completely unusable. The carbohydrates and fatty acids of bread are decomposed by mold, such food can be poisoned. If the products become moldy in production, they must be destroyed. And the bread that has become infected with fungi at home should also be thrown away, wrapped in a plastic bag, so as not to dust the room with mushroom spores.

If a person knows how mold develops on bread, then he will be able to protect himself from eating a low-quality product. How to prevent the development of mold on bread? No need to store it in plastic bags. They create an ideal environment for the development of harmful mycelium: a closed space without air access and high humidity. But most housewives store bread this way now.

It is best to use special bread bins for bread, which have side slots for ventilation. But spores can also penetrate into them, from which a fungus will develop, so the breadbaskets need to be shaken out, cleaned and wiped regularly with the addition of vinegar. Sometimes they put tablets of activated charcoal to reduce moisture, or lemon peel. Instead of breadbaskets, you can use enamel pans with a lid, but they are also dull.

Bread cannot stay warm for more than three days. If the bread is stored in the refrigerator, then it can be wrapped in cellophane so that it does not dry out. But with prolonged storage in the refrigerator, the product loses its taste. You can cut the bread into slices and store them in the freezer, wrapped in cellophane, and reheat them in the microwave before eating.

Mold on bread can form even a few days after it is prepared. Most of us do not know what will happen if we eat moldy bread, can they be poisoned? Some people find such a spoiled product useful and often eat it. This article discusses what will happen if you eat moldy bread, whether there is any benefit and harm from this product, whether it can lead to the development of chronic dangerous diseases or, conversely, cure ailments.

What is mold, why does it appear on bread

Bread mold is a fungus that has grown on poor quality or spoiled bread. It is dangerous for the human body, especially for children, pregnant women and the elderly.

• Improper storage of bread. A humid and warm environment encourages mold growth. In such a microclimate, fungi multiply rapidly and fill the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe roll with their spores.
• Violation of sanitary and hygienic standards and temperature conditions when making bread. In poorly baked bread products, mushrooms can grow.
• Incorrect and poor-quality preparation of bakery products. To reduce costs and increase benefits, bread producers can mix ground expired bread into flour, use low-quality products for its preparation.

When you can eat mold

The use of mold is allowed only in specially prepared hard cheeses. "Noble" white mold is part of Camembert and Brie cheese. Blue and green molds can be found in many types of cheese. If this product is susceptible to mold, it is generally safe to consume.

Please note that blue cheese is a highly allergenic food. It should not be eaten by children, pregnant women and people prone to allergies and bronchial asthma.

If mold has appeared on hard cheese due to its long or improper storage, such a product is considered dangerous and unsuitable for use in food.

Mold on bread: benefits and harms

Can you get poisoned with bread? Mold on bread is harmful and dangerous. It is of no use to humans. It is forbidden to eat bread on which signs of fungal infection began to appear. Green and black mold most often appears on spoiled bread. We most often see it on the crust of a bread product. But in fact, fungal spores spread evenly throughout the thickness of the entire bread loaf, and you cannot eat it, cutting off the "multi-colored" crust.

Please note that mold on bread can not only be eaten, but also inhaled. Fungal spores, entering the lungs, do not cause poisoning. They lead to the development of fungal pneumonia, chronic damage to the respiratory system. If a person has inhaled mold, they should consult a doctor and have their lungs examined.

Pink mold on bread is a sign of potato disease and develops as a result of infection of the wheat from which the flour was made.

Stories from our readers

Vladimir
61 years

A person who has eaten moldy bread can develop acute food poisoning. If moldy foods are consumed regularly, the risk of developing oncological malignant pathologies increases.

Symptoms of acute mold poisoning

Mold can be poisoned with a single use of bread contaminated with it. The severity of clinical manifestations depends on the amount of poor-quality moldy bread eaten and on the concentration of fungal spores in it. In case of mold poisoning, symptoms develop within 4-56 hours after eating it.

Note that the symptoms of mold poisoning are more pronounced in children. A child who ate a moldy product may also develop an acute allergic reaction, bronchial asthma.

The main clinical signs of bread mold poisoning:

• feeling of pain in the abdomen. Most often it is localized "under the spoon" - in the stomach;
• flatulence and intestinal colic, increased gas discharge;
• nausea followed by vomiting. If you eat a large amount of spoiled bread, the stomach begins to try to get rid of it, remove toxins;
• headache and dizziness are signs of intoxication syndrome;
• an increase in body temperature rarely develops. It indicates a serious condition of the patient and a pronounced intoxication syndrome;
• violation of the stool. It becomes rapid and fluid, diarrhea develops;
• tachycardia - heart palpitations. This symptom is a consequence of fluid loss, dehydration and intoxication.

If you eat mold, you can get not only symptoms of acute food poisoning, but also an allergic reaction. Children and people with allergies are most prone to its manifestation.

Allergic manifestations of mold use include:

• allergic rhinitis - profuse serous rhinitis with nasal congestion, in which there is a discharge of clear and watery mucus from the nose and frequent sneezing;
• allergic conjunctivitis is manifested by reddening of the mucous membrane of the eye, lacrimation;
• urticaria is a red skin rash, accompanied by severe itching. It can blend into large spots;
• angioedema Quincke, which is manifested by edema of the subcutaneous adipose tissue. May be accompanied by cough, hoarseness.

First aid for mold poisoning

If symptoms of bread mold poisoning develop, an ambulance should be called immediately. Allergic reactions that can occur after contact with fungal spores are especially dangerous.

Before the arrival of doctors, begin to provide first aid to a poisoned person on your own. It consists of:

• lavage of the gastric cavity. The patient should drink a liter of ordinary water in one gulp and pull it out;
• cleansing enema on water at room temperature;
• taking sorbents (atoxil, smecta, polysorb, enterosgel);
• drinking plenty of fluids. You can drink water and sweet tea.

Remember that if a person who has been poisoned by moldy bread is allergic or suffers from bronchial asthma, you need to give him the drugs prescribed by the doctor against allergic attacks.

Medical treatment

Doctors who have come to the call will provide the patient with first aid and hospitalize him in a hospital. Treatment for mold poisoning consists of:

• droppers with solutions to reduce intoxication;
• antifungal drugs;
• antiemetic drugs;
• enzymes;
• dietary food.

The length of stay in the hospital depends on the severity of the patient's condition. Treatment of mild poisoning can be carried out at home, but under medical supervision.

How to protect yourself from mold poisoning

You should protect yourself and your loved ones as much as possible from eating moldy bread. Below are guidelines to help you do this.

• Do not eat bread that has developed mold. It should not be consumed, even after cutting off the crust with visible fungal infection. Throw away such a product.
• Buy bread only from certified and authorized retail outlets. By purchasing it in spontaneous markets or from people by hand, you run the risk of buying a low-quality fungus-infected product.
• Store bread products in cool, dry places. Heat and moisture are ideal breeding grounds for the fungus.

It is dangerous to eat bread that shows signs of mold. It can lead to severe food poisoning and acute allergic reactions. Treatment for acute poisoning with spoiled bread can be done in the hospital or at home. All drugs and medicines are prescribed by a doctor after examining and examining the patient. Self-medication of such an intoxication condition is dangerous.