What happens when you eat moldy cheese?

In the case of mold that grows on cheese, a distinction must be made between the different types of mold. Some types of cheese have a deliberate mould infestation which serves to refine the product. These types of cheese include the so-called blue cheese or Camembert.

The mold, which is already on the cheese when the product is purchased, is harmless and can be eaten. The situation is different for cheeses that have not been refined by special molds. Moist cheeses such as fresh or processed cheese should always be disposed of if they are affected by mold.

The same applies to grated hard cheese or sliced cheese. The situation is different for hard cheese in one piece. If it is infested with mold, it is possible to remove it on a large scale. The rest of the cheese should be examined for mold infestation, but is usually still edible and there is no need to fear any damage to health.

What happens if you inhale mold spores?

As a rule, the short-term inhalation of mold spores is not dangerous for a healthy person. If a person with a corresponding predisposition inhales mould spores over a longer period of time, an allergy can develop. This is often associated with bronchial asthma.

The mold allergy becomes noticeable through difficult breathing and coughing. In people who have a limited function of the immune system, repeated inhalation of mold spores can lead to pneumonia. One speaks of a so-called aspergillus pneumonia. This affects people after organ transplantation or chemotherapy and people with an immune deficiency caused by diseases such as AIDS.

What happens when you drink mold?

Mould is often added to drinks when it has formed on drinks that are packed in an opaque tetrapack. Especially apple juice and other fruit juices are very susceptible to mould if they are left unchilled for several days after opening. In principle, it is not harmful to drink a few sips of a moldy drink as long as the immune system is intact.

It can cause mild gastrointestinal problems in some people, including nausea and vomiting. If, however, it is not an isolated case but a more frequent consumption of mouldy drinks and food, an accumulation of the secreted toxins may occur, which must be broken down by the body. This can cause permanent damage to the liver and kidney. For people with a weakened immune system, drinking mold, just as with food, can lead to organ damage, since the fungal toxins cannot be fought by the body.