Page 18 - Comprehensive Food Safety

31.03.2020

MOULDS AND MILDEWS
Mould is a fungus spread by spores – that reproduce by producing large numbers of small
spores. Mould likes to grow in moist warm environments that are low in sugar and acid.

Some moulds are supposed to be there and are safe to eat- blue vein cheese the clearest
example. If there is mould on a food, that is not supposed to have mould on it – throw it out -
do not cut the mould off and use the rest of the food. Although most are actually harmless,
some can produce powerful toxins, which can cause illness, infections and allergic reactions.

YEASTS
Yeasts are single celled micro-organisms that spoil food and require sugar and moist, warm

environments for survival. Yeasts spoil foods such as jellies and honey, by slowly eating the
food. So, if food has been kept past its expiry date, yeasts will start to develop. Contamination
appears as bubbles, a smell and taste similar to alcohol, pink discoloration, or slime.

TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM

An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae (typically
microscopic) in a water system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine
environments. People are exposed principally to the naturally-occurring toxins produced by
harmful algae through the consumption of contaminated seafood products.

Effects on a person who eats food contaminated by algae bloom toxins include gastrointestinal
symptoms, characterized by incapacitating diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and
chills. In severe cases, neurological symptoms can also appear, usually within 48 hours of toxic
shellfish consumption. These symptoms include dizziness, headache, seizures, disorientation,
short-term memory loss, respiratory difficulty, and coma.

The best method to prevent algae bloom toxins causing illness is to make sure you know where
your seafood comes from. Always purchase seafood from a reputable supplier, not the special
deal offered by the guy who turns up at your door with a car boot full of ‘fresh’ seafood! Who
knows where the seafood came from, it could have been poached from an area that was
quarantined due to algae bloom. Never use seafood sourced from an area affected by algae
bloom.

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