Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttrda.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!mgnetp!ltuxa!ttrdc!ttrda!estes From: estes@ttrda.UUCP (Edward Estes ) Newsgroups: net.cooks Subject: mold on cheese Message-ID: <121@ttrda.UUCP> Date: Mon, 1-Jul-85 17:36:35 EDT Article-I.D.: ttrda.121 Posted: Mon Jul 1 17:36:35 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 3-Jul-85 06:48:01 EDT Organization: AT&T Teletype Corp., Skokie, IL Lines: 46 In reference to the question of scraping mold from cheese, "Completely Cheese", Warner Books says: Until recently it was thought that if mold was found on the surface of a piece of cheese, it was perfectly safe to scrape off the mold and then use the cheese as originally planned. According to the FDA, however, scientific evidence indicates that this may not be a wise practice. ... As molds grow, they *sometimes* produce substances called *mycotoxins*, and the consumer has no way of knowing whether the mold growing on a particular cheese produces them. Some mycotoxins have been shown to produce cancer in animals, and their effect on humans in not yet known; to be absolutely safe it would be best to avoid cheese molds completely. . . . [T]he mold itself can be a source of trouble. Some individuals have allergic reactions to molds . . . Certain mold species can cause serious and possibly fatal human and animal infections in such body areas as the sinuses, eyes, ears, and repiratory tract. ... . . . [P]ackages of cheese should be inspected in the store before purchasing. If packages are moldy, they should not be purchased and should be pointed out to the store manager, who in turn should remove them from display and discard them. To be certain of no danger, the same should be done for cheese in the home: *moldy cheese should be discarded*. Note that simply cutting away the mold does *not* remove any possible problems, because fungi have roots, and these roots may extend deep into the cheese. They go on to say that blue-veined cheeses, such as Roquefort, are fine, and should not be avoided. As an aside the book is great. It has just about everything you would want to know about cheeses, from manufacture of cheese to cheese recipes. "Completely Cheese, the Cheeselover's Companion" Anita May Pearl, Warner Books, 1978 Ted Estes AT&T Teletype Corp. ...!ihnp4!ttrdc!ttrda!estes