The mold found on spoiled food could be dangerous, so if you suddenly develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, an elevated temperature, or diarrhea, you should immediately seek medical help.
Side Effects of Eating Moldy Bread
Mold can produce toxic chemicals called mycotoxins. These can cause disease and even death, depending on the amount consumed, the length of exposure, and the age and health of the individual. Acute toxicity includes gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, as well as acute liver disease.
Don’t Eat the Mold on Bread
Some mold is safe to consume, such as the types purposely used to make blue cheese. However, the fungi that can grow on bread give it an off-flavor and may be harmful to your health.
It’s impossible to know what kind of mold is growing on your bread just by looking at it, so it’s best to assume it’s harmful and not eat it.
Additionally, avoid smelling moldy bread, as you may inhale spores from the fungus. If you have an allergy to mold, inhaling it could lead to breathing problems, including asthma.
Those with allergies to inhaled mold may also experience harmful reactions — including life-threatening anaphylaxis — if eating it in food. Still, this appears to be uncommon.
Lastly, people with weak immune systems — such as from poorly controlled diabetes — are vulnerable to infection from inhaling Rhizopus on bread. Though uncommon, this infection is potentially life-threatening.
Focus Point
You shouldn’t eat mold on bread or from a loaf with visible spots. The mold roots can quickly spread through bread, though you can’t see them.
Eating moldy bread could make you sick, and inhaling spores may trigger breathing problems if you have a mold allergy. Try freezing bread to prevent mold.
