What happens if you eat moldy crackers

As far as cleaning goes, make sure to regularly sanitize your refrigerator, dish towels, and sponges. If a kitchen cloth smells funny or is visibly growing mold, clean it ASAP.

Mold happens. By Corey Williams Updated February 19, Save Pin FB More. It can be any combination of fuzzy, furry, dusty, black, green, yellow, gray, or white.

Still, mold can't penetrate certain hard cheeses, hard salami, firm fruits, and vegetables as easily as softer foods, the USDA says. That makes these foods easier to save from a fuzzy patch.

For quick reference, these food are generally okay to eat once you cut off any mold:. These foods, meanwhile, should be thrown away if at all moldy:. Also, FYI, toasting your bread will not kill the mold on it, so don't even go there. Since bread is super porous, it's definitely one to chuck at the first sign of fuzz, says the USDA.

Since warm, humid conditions encourage mold growth—and dry mold spores float through the air in search of new places in which to grow some more moldy friends—the USDA recommends a few best practices for keeping mold from messing with your food:. Of course, molds can still grow in the refrigerator albeit much more slowly , but following these guidelines can help keep your eats fresh and fuzz-free for as long as possible. The bottom line : Eating moldy food probably won't make you sick, but most foods should be thrown away at the first sign of fuzz.

To prevent mold growth, properly wrap all food and store it in a clean, dry refrigerator. Weight Loss. United States. Type keyword s to search.

Raise your hand? However, because molds grow in threadlike shapes with roots that can reach throughout the item, your safest bet is to just throw it away. If you can't bear parting with that whole block of cheddar, there's some good news: Some foods, such as firm fruits and veggies think: carrots and cabbage and hard cheeses and salamis can be salvaged by cutting "at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot," according to the USDA.

Just be sure to keep the knife out of the mold as to not spread the yuck. Softer foods such as bread and those with higher moisture content such as yogurt and jarred or canned goods should definitely be discarded if you spot any mold, since it's easier for the mold to penetrate more deeply in these items versus harder foods. The same is true for meat and poultry; you should toss it. Don't panic—chances are, not much. However, remember that mold is a tricky organism with the potential to cause disease.

Your body's response to mold intake is almost entirely dependent on your immune system, says Marina Yuabova, D. When fungal invasion becomes systemic, the fungus can invade the digestive tract, upper respiratory tract, and brain; those cases become more serious.

If you know you have a weak immune system perhaps due to a chronic condition or a history of asthma or allergies, it's a good idea to call your doctor and seek treatment, if necessary. Eaten something included in a food recall? Here's what to do. Although cutting off the mold seems like an easy solution, other harmful substances could still be left behind.

The potential for hidden bacteria is why adjacent mold can also be harmful. Say you have a container of strawberries where a few have turned moldy, but the others look fine. Moldy foods that are salvageable include those with lower moisture content: hard cheeses with a hard rind like cheddar and Swiss , or hard vegetables such as cabbage, bell peppers and carrots. The safety of certain other foods is situation-dependent. Think about a banana with mold on the outside of the peel.

To minimize mold growth, the USDA recommends cleaning the inside of your fridge every few months. First, use a solution with 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved into 1 quart of water and then clean with plain water before drying. Just be sure to remove any food from the fridge before using bleach. Craggs-Dino also stresses the importance of covering refrigerated food with a lid, foil or plastic wrap.