What are the precautions for moldy food in the refrigerator

It is usually not recommended to continue consuming moldy food in the refrigerator, even if the moldy part is removed, there may still be health risks. Moldy food may produce harmful substances such as aflatoxins, and the main risks include food poisoning, liver damage, and increased risk of cancer. When handling moldy food, attention should be paid to sealing and discarding, thoroughly cleaning the storage area, and checking whether adjacent food is contaminated. Even if moldy food is heated at high temperatures, it is difficult to completely destroy toxins. Aflatoxin is resistant to high temperatures and cannot be decomposed by ordinary cooking temperatures. The visible mold spots are only mycelium, and the toxin may have spread to other parts of the food. Some fungal toxins can interfere with cellular metabolism, and long-term ingestion may induce chronic diseases. People with weakened immunity may experience acute poisoning symptoms after consuming moldy food.

A few fermented foods, such as blue cheese and Fermented bean curd, belong to controllable moldy foods, and their strains have undergone safety assessment. This type of food needs to be strictly distinguished from natural mold growth, and should be purchased from reputable manufacturers. If naturally moldy nuts, grains, fruits, etc. have a bitter taste or abnormal color, they should be immediately stopped from consumption. Aflatoxin produced by moldy peanuts and other oil crops has strong carcinogenicity, and even trace intake can accumulate in the body.

After discovering moldy food in the refrigerator, it is recommended to wrap it in a sealed bag and discard it to prevent spore spread. Thoroughly scrub the storage area with hot water and baking soda solution, paying particular attention to the gaps in the sealing strips. Check if there is any odor or texture change in adjacent non moldy food, and discard liquid food if there is any flocculent material. When storing food in daily life, pay attention to sealing and packaging, and refrigerate cooked food for no more than 3 days. Regularly cleaning the refrigerator to maintain a dry environment and keeping the temperature below 4 ℃ can slow down mold growth.