Recently, a trendy L.A. brunch destination has come under fire after allegations that the cafes iconic house-made jams are covering in visible mold, and employees are told to scrape the mold off the surface and serve it anyway.
The discussion has ignited a well-preserved debate for both high-end and homemade products alike: whether you might be OK to just scrape off the visible mold and enjoy the rest.
Despite some high-profile people (such as former UK Prime Minister Theresa May) confessing to eating around fuzzy fungus on their preserves, experts say you shouldnt follow their lead.
Not all molds are dangerous (and some, like those used to make cheese, are in fact delicious), but its best to avoid any mold that hasnt intentionally been added to your food. Advertisement
According to the USDA, visible mold is only part of the developing organism thats made its home inside your jam jar. Where the white or green fuzzy is seen on the surface, the mold has also grown root threads below. These arent always apparent, but can contain some dangerous and downright toxic compounds.
For instance, some types of foods, specifically grapes and apples, are known to host poisonous types of mold substances known as mycotoxins, according to the USDA. If ingested, they can cause gastrointestinal issues and vomiting in the short terms, and potentially damage organs like your kidneys and liver and/or increase risk of cancer in the long term, according to the World Health Organization.
As such, microbiologists strongly urge you to discard any jams or jellies that contain visible mold, even if its only seen on the surface, per the USDA.
But even if your food doesnt specifically host mycotoxin-producing mold types, visible mold can also signal other potential issues with jam (and other canned goods) since the fact that mold was able to grow there suggests it was improperly heated or sealed, and could be home to other types of bacteria or fungus. So youd still have to worry about food poisoning at the very least, according to the Healthy Canning website. Advertisement
Finally, a word on the sniff test, a common method of checking whether food has gone off.
If your jam or jelly has visible mold on it, dont lean into the jar and take an exploratory whiff. First, you can already see its begun to rot and this is likely to be unpleasant. Second, this can allow any meandering moldy spores a one-way ticket into your respiratory system, according to USDA. They dont belong there anymore than they do in your digestive system.
Jam with a thin layer of mould can be salvaged, he says. If you scoop off all the mould and a few centimetres beneath to throw out difficult-to-see spores, the jam should be safe to eat. And it’s not just jam that is still edible despite a bit of mould, according to Michael Mosley’s research.
Its a classic tragic tale: You head to the fridge with hopes of whipping up a midday PB&J, only to find that your jam jar contains something less than appetizing. To your dismay, accompanying the sweet fruity condiment are fuzzy specks of greenish-white mold. You may be tempted to simply scoop the mold out and proceed as if nothing ever happened, or you might even ponder what will actually happen if you ingest a few spores. However, when it comes to jams, jellies, and preserves, even a small bit of mold usually means that its best to throw away the whole jar.
Theres also no way to easily tell how much of a jar of jam has been contaminated by mold. Mold works a bit like an iceberg, in that theres often more to it than what you can see just on the surface. Per the USDA, “when a food shows heavy mold growth, root threads have invaded it deeply.” This can cause the dangerous toxins produced by mold to infect the entirety of a piece or container of food. Given the viscous nature of jam and jelly, even if you are incredibly precise when removing mold from a jar, its likely there are still spores hiding out and waiting to make you sick.
Certain molds, including the varieties that grow in jam and similar products, have the potential to produce mycotoxins. According to the World Health Organization, “mycotoxins can cause a variety of adverse health effects” that “range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer.” Even if the mold doesnt contain mycotoxins, it can still lead to breathing problems or worse if you have a mold allergy.
Considering the high price tag of certain jams and preserves, it makes sense why you would want to try and make the most of what you have. Luckily, there are plenty of easy jam recipes out there so you can easily replace moldy jam and save a few bucks. Just remember that throwing away moldy food isnt wasteful — its the best way to keep you safe from toxins that could otherwise make you very ill.
For instance, some types of foods, specifically grapes and apples, are known to host poisonous types of mold substances known as mycotoxins, according to the USDA. If ingested, they can cause gastrointestinal issues and vomiting in the short terms, and potentially damage organs like your kidneys and liver and/or increase risk of cancer in the long term, according to the World Health Organization.
Recently, a trendy L.A. brunch destination has come under fire after allegations that the cafes iconic house-made jams are covering in visible mold, and employees are told to scrape the mold off the surface and serve it anyway.
According to the USDA, visible mold is only part of the developing organism thats made its home inside your jam jar. Where the white or green fuzzy is seen on the surface, the mold has also grown root threads below. These arent always apparent, but can contain some dangerous and downright toxic compounds.
Finally, a word on the sniff test, a common method of checking whether food has gone off.
If your jam or jelly has visible mold on it, dont lean into the jar and take an exploratory whiff. First, you can already see its begun to rot and this is likely to be unpleasant. Second, this can allow any meandering moldy spores a one-way ticket into your respiratory system, according to USDA. They dont belong there anymore than they do in your digestive system.
Here’s What Happens When You Eat Mold
FAQ
What happens if I ate moldy jam?
Is it OK to scrape mold off jam?
Can mould on jam make you sick?
Can you eat jam if it has mould on top?
Is mold in a jam jar dangerous?
Not all molds are dangerous (and some, like those used to make cheese, are in fact delicious), but it’s best to avoid any mold that hasn’t intentionally been added to your food. According to the USDA, visible mold is only part of the developing organism that’s made its home inside your jam jar.
What happens if you swallow mold?
Eating mold-contaminated food can cause vomiting, allergies, diarrhea, food poisoning, abdominal pain, and even cancer if consumed frequently over a long period of time.
Does Jam have mold?
Jam contains less water than whole fruits, usually because boiling the jam causes the water to evaporate. However, the overall moist texture of jam still appeals to mold, and when mold spores come into contact with moisture inside the jam jar, you’ve got a recipe for fungi in your jelly.
Can mold in Jam cause cancer?
Certain molds, including the varieties that grow in jam and similar products, have the potential to produce mycotoxins. According to the World Health Organization, “mycotoxins can cause a variety of adverse health effects” that “range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer.”