Mold on citrus: is it safe to eat?
I've been making fruit kefir (or tibicos), using only some sugar and a lemon for 1L of tap water (boiled to remove chlorine and sterilize my bottle, and of course left to cool down before adding the kefir grains).
After some 24 hours I've noticed a thin film of white mold forming on the surface of the water and on the slices of lemon. The mold looks a lot like some starting colony of penicillium digitatum and/or penicillium italicum (I was not thinking about making a post about this, sorry for the absence of picture!), which are common attacker of citrus fruits, and as far as I guess are rather harmless.
After about 36h of fermentation I've transfered the drink (+some mold!) into new bottles and put the ferments (+some mold!) back into a clean container. Neither of them smelled like rotten fruits, otherwise I would've thrown them both away. I've also added the juice of the lemon to decrease the pH and hopefully prevent the mold from growing again.
Is the filtered drink (which I'm going to let sit in the fridge for a couple more days) safe to drink if no more mold develops? Such small amount of a common mold seems unlikely to cause anything serious, but I'd rather avoid food poisining if there's a chance for it.
Can the kefir grains safely be used for future batches?
Thanks in advance!
Pictures about "Mold on citrus: is it safe to eat?"
Is it safe to eat moldy oranges?
According to the USDA, soft fruits and vegetables with high moisture content, such as an orange, can be contaminated below the surface. Such fruits and vegetables should be discarded in their entirety if moldy.What happens if you eat moldy citrus?
Richards says it's unlikely that you'll experience side effects as a result of eating moldy fruit. She does note, however, that there are a few symptoms to keep an eye out for, such as nausea, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea. These, she says, could be signs of gastrointestinal distress.Can I eat a lemon with mold on it?
In a NutshellThrow out moldy or rotten lemons. If the fruit is shriveled or squishy, it's probably best to squeeze its juice and discard the rest.Can I eat a fruit that was around mold?
Mold can penetrate and grow inside the soft flesh of fruit where you can't see it. Consuming moldy food can cause allergic reactions, as well as respiratory problems. When you find a few moldy pieces of fruit inside a container, throw out the moldy fruit and any pieces of fruit that are directly touching them.Can You Cut The Mold Off Food and Eat It?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.