How does mold affect health?

This is an automatically translated article.

Mold from living and studying environments or molds in food can have a great impact on human health, causing allergies, respiratory diseases with symptoms of fatigue, headaches, and joint pain. ,...

1. What are the harmful effects of mold?

1.1 Harm of mold in the environment Mold usually grows in warm, humid conditions, mainly around showers, dishwashers, washing machines, in the kitchen,... reproduce by fission, producing spores and releasing them into the air. This is also a major component of dust in homes and workplaces.
When inhaling mold, the body has a reaction similar to inhaling dust, pollen,... Mold spores formed in large quantities will cause health problems such as allergies, diseases. respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, hives, cough, asthma, nausea, etc. Some molds also produce mycotoxins. - cause serious harm to human and animal health. Exposure to high concentrations of mycotoxins can lead to neurological problems and even death.
The group of people at high risk of health problems due to mold are children, the elderly and people with low resistance. People with certain diseases such as cystic fibrosis and chronic pneumonia can develop immune system infections if they breathe in certain types of mold.

1.2 The harmful effects of mold in food Mold and their toxins in food can cause many health consequences. Science has proven that if we eat foods contaminated with mold, we can get many dangerous diseases. Diseases can take the form of acute poisoning but most are chronic poisoning due to the accumulation of small amounts of mycotoxins in the body over a long period of time.
An estimated 40% of known mold species can produce toxins that are hazardous to human health. Mycotoxins have different levels of toxicity, so when entering the body, they will also cause different diseases and symptoms. With less toxic molds or only used in small amounts, the patient only suffers mild poisoning with manifestations such as vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, ... In the case of accumulation of mycotoxins in the body For a long time, some dangerous diseases can be encountered such as kidney failure due to ochratoxin, liver cancer caused by aflatoxin, ovarian cancer caused by fumonisins,...
Mycotoxins are found in the following foods :

Banh chung: If it is sour or moldy, it will be dangerous to eat. Because banh chung has high humidity and is rich in nutrients, this is a suitable environment for mold growth, which is easy to mold.
Under the action of amylase yeast of some molds, starch turns into glucose and ethyl alcohol, making cakes grout in moldy locations, with a spicy, pungent taste of alcohol. Some other mold strains have the ability to ferment glucose, maltose to form gluconic acid, fumatic acid, ... making cakes sour. Notably, some molds belonging to the Aspergillus family and the Penicillium family can secrete toxins to the people who eat the cake. Therefore, it is not recommended to eat moldy, sour, grout, bitter banh chung,...;
Cakes, fruit jams: If left for a long time, poorly preserved, cakes and fruit jams are easily damaged by microorganisms and mold. On the surface of the cake, if left for a long time, different types of mold will appear, making the cake lose its taste, which is not good for health. Therefore, if the pastry is watery, loses its taste, or changes color, it should be discarded;
Food and food: Molds in peanuts, soybeans, sunflower seeds, cashews, rice, corn, cassava,... can be harmful to health. One of the most dangerous mycotoxins is aflatoxin caused by fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus found in moldy rice, corn, peanuts, beans, etc. In addition to the acute toxic effects, this toxin also accumulates in the body and can cause cancer. Aflatoxin toxins are difficult to decompose by chemicals or high temperatures, so they should be discarded immediately when food is moldy, should not be used as food.

2. Measures to prevent mold and protect health

2.1 Methods to prevent mold in the environment Quickly find and treat wet areas in the house as soon as possible. Specifically, homeowners should check and fix leaks on the roof, leaks in the water system, windows,...; Keep wet areas well ventilated to prevent mold growth. It is necessary to keep equipment in the bathroom, kitchen dry, dry standing water, regularly open windows and install ventilation fans to limit the situation of mold; Limit the use of materials that are easy to absorb moisture when decorating the interior such as carpets, curtains,...; It is recommended to dry clothes outdoors; Run a dehumidifier, put anti-mold chemical bottles and desiccant bags, etc. in discreet places such as cabinets and drawers to reduce mold; Periodically clean the air conditioner to ensure it is durable and has the ability to absorb moisture and make good aeration; When decorating your home, you should choose environmentally friendly paints, paints that are anti-mildew and breathable; You can use available ingredients such as white vinegar, baking soda, tea oil, lemon juice, lemon seed extract, orange peel, quicklime, etc. to clean moldy areas and prevent mold growth. .

2.2 Methods of handling and preventing mold in food Ensure food safety through the stages of processing, preservation, circulation, distribution and use; Store dry foods in a cool, dry place, consider storing them in the refrigerator or freezer depending on the type of food; When the color, shape and taste of the food shows signs of being different from the characteristics of the food or it is suspected that the food is unsafe, it should be discarded or not used. Washing moldy foods still cannot completely remove mold toxins; When there are signs of poisoning, food poisoning or suspected poisoning after using foods suspected of being moldy, users need to stop using that food, keep all leftovers, vomiting, urine, feces, ... for testing and prompt emergency medical attention; Emergency treatment: Let the poisoned person vomit all the ingested substances, prevent the absorption of the intestine with the poison, and at the same time protect the stomach lining;

Mold exists in the living environment or foods that can seriously affect human health. Therefore, in order to protect themselves and those around them, each person should pay attention to keeping the environment clean and storing food properly, preventing the risk of mold and microorganism forming and growing.

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