Don't eat this fruit! "Mycotoxins" are no joke...

Many of us have had this experience: we bought a box of strawberries, but they grew "white hair" after a few days if we didn't eat them in time; the oranges we put on the table also grew green mold after a few days... When we encounter the situation of "spoiled" fruits, some of us will throw them away directly. But there are also many people who will cut off the bad parts, thinking that it doesn't matter if the fruit is a little spoiled, and we can eat the good parts normally after cutting off the bad parts. But is this really the case?

Today we will study

Can you still eat spoiled fruit?

Can I still eat it after digging out the “bad” part?

How to store different foods safely?

Mycotoxins

In warm and humid seasons, food is prone to mold, and the culprit is "mold".

Mold is a type of fungus. When mold carries toxin-producing genes and environmental conditions are suitable, it will produce "mycotoxins".

There are more than 400 known mycotoxins, which can contaminate many crops.

Common fungal toxins include: aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, patulin, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, etc.

Ingestion of food contaminated with fungal toxins can cause food poisoning symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and allergies . Long-term chronic intake may also cause cancer and teratogenic hazards.

Therefore, it is not recommended to eat food that is "spoiled", "hairy", or "moldy".

How fungal toxins enter the human body

1. Direct approach

Eating food such as grains, fruits, juice, etc. that are contaminated with fungal toxins.

2. Indirect pathway

Feeding animals with feed contaminated with mycotoxins can ultimately harm human health through the food chain .

In the hot and rainy season, grains, vegetables and fruits grow vigorously and have abundant yields. Storage after the harvest is particularly important, and the family also stores a lot of fruits to relieve the heat.

However, if the fruit is not stored properly and becomes moldy, and you continue to eat it thinking it is fine, you may ingest fungal toxins .

It seems that the moldy parts are definitely not edible. So is it okay to dig out the rotten parts and only eat the intact parts?

The answer is definitely: No!

Because the scope of mold contamination goes far beyond the "mold" and "hair" that we can see with the naked eye: mold hyphae not only exist on the surface of the fruit, but have also invaded the inside of the fruit , and the fungal toxins they produce also spread from the moldy part to the non-moldy part.

General Food Storage Tips

If the food you buy has a packaging label, you can store it according to the storage method recommended on the label. If not, different methods should be adopted according to different foods:

1. Staple foods

Rice, flour, grain, oil, dried fruits, dried vermicelli, etc. must be packed in clean and dry containers and placed in a cool, ventilated and dry place indoors, avoiding high temperature and light .

Some cooked staple foods such as steamed buns, sesame cakes, bread, etc. should be placed in fresh-keeping bags and refrigerated in the refrigerator. If they are to be kept for more than 2 days, they should be sealed and frozen .

Quick-frozen foods should be stored in the freezer. If the packaging is damaged or has been opened, seal it tightly to avoid drying out or fat oxidation.

2. Fruits and vegetables

It is recommended not to buy too much at one time, especially green leafy vegetables. It is best to buy enough to be eaten within 2-3 days .

Vegetables should be stored in a refrigerated environment for no more than a week ; potatoes should be kept in a cool place indoors away from light; fruits such as apples and pears can be kept in the refrigerator or in a cool place indoors.

Some southern fruits such as dragon fruit, bananas, mangoes, etc. can be placed in a cool place. If stored in the refrigerator, it should not be kept for too long, as frostbite is likely to occur.

During storage, be sure to pick out moldy and rotten food in a timely manner to avoid further contamination.

3. Fresh aquatic products

It is recommended to buy and eat immediately. Dried aquatic products, such as dried shrimp and dried cuttlefish, can be refrigerated; fresh seafood, such as hairtail and small yellow croaker, can be frozen.

4. Meat, eggs and dairy products

If you buy fresh meat and eat it on the same day, you can keep it in the refrigerator . Otherwise, cut it into small portions and store it in the freezer separately, and try to avoid repeated thawing.

The shelf life of fresh eggs is greatly affected by temperature. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 40-60 days , but be careful not to rinse them with water before refrigeration to avoid damaging the pores and causing deterioration. If placed in a cool place indoors and the temperature does not exceed 15°C , the storage period is about 30 days .

Milk with the outer packaging marked "can be stored at room temperature" can be stored at room temperature for about 30-60 days ; milk marked "needs to be stored at low temperature" should be refrigerated and has a shelf life of about 3-5 days .

5. Fresh soy foods

Tofu, soy milk and other soy products freshly made on the market should be consumed on the same day .

If soy products turn sour, or the surface of tofu, dried tofu, etc. is slimy or inelastic, it means they have gone bad and cannot be eaten.

6. Leftovers

Food that is not finished during a meal, such as homemade fruit wine, cakes, leftovers, etc., should be sealed in containers or food bags, stored in the refrigerator, and consumed as soon as possible.