What is bread mould?
Bread mould growth is visible by its color. Mold growth on bread that has been baked will appear black, blue or green while it usually gray to white in uncooked dough . Also visible are the conidia , a microscopic spore characteristic of molds which resemble millions of tiny spores clustered together. It might also look fuzzy or hairy due to root-like structures called rhizoids . Bread mold causes strands of mycelium to break through the surface while creating visible colonies known as sporulation
Some types of fungi affect the quality and taste of food containing carbohydrates, proteins and lipids by acid production, ethanol , gas production, enzyme action, pigment production and other means. The fungus commonly found growing on bread is an Ascomycete that belongs to the genus “Penicillium” . The mycotoxin that this genus synthesizes is penitrem A , which causes tremors in humans
Fungus on bread
Fungus on bread is fungus growing on food and especially the surface of bread. It occurs when spores land on a moist food source and begins to grow . Fungi cannot make their own food; they need organic matter such as plant or animal material for nutrition which makes them heterotrophs, unlike plants that are autotrophs that photosynthesize their own energy sources. Many fungi are important decomposers in nature. However, some can also be harmful to either specific organisms, including humans, or particular processes. These include parasites of animals or plants , destroyers of wood in buildings , producers of mycotoxins . Bread mold is used as an algicidal agent
Bread mold has been shown to be a potential source of mycotoxins that occur in the field and during storage. Toxicity of mycotoxin B occurs at least partly through binding to specific carbohydrates, such as p- D -glucopyranoside . This fungus can also grow on jam and jelly and its presence usually means it is fermenting the sugar present in it.
It was discovered in 2016 that Agaricus bisporus , or white button mushrooms, can send electrical signals when they are damaged. The ability to send electrical output signals helps them to communicate with other organisms so they can work together for survival such as attracting beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps which will eat harmful insects like caterpillars
Molds that produce mycotoxins grow on dead plants or plant products that are not necessarily edible. These molds produce microscopic bodies called spores . Spores can be found in the air, water and soil. They can also be transported great distances by wind
Fungus on bread is typically a white to green-yellow color with an oily appearance because it exudes droplets of oil when stressed due to overcrowding or other environmental factors. People typically think that mold only grows on spoiled food, but this is untrue. Some mold growths are actually beneficial & necessary for certain types of cheeses , yogurt , kimchi, sourdough breads, pickles , chocolate , beer and many other fermented food products made at home or commercially.
