Very often at biological faculties in universities (and even in a regular school) they ask a very unusual homework - to grow mold on bread. And this is not done for fun. And for effective student learning and for the sake of a biological experiment. That is why it is often possible to meet the question of how to grow mold on bread.
What is it?
Before you begin to solve the problem, you must clearly understand what you have to work on. And for this you need to understand what mold is. First of all, it is a microscopic mushroom. Many people think mold is a bacterium. But the studies have proved that it is still a fungus, the fruit body of which is able to develop in almost any nutrient medium. To grow mold, you can use not only bread, but also other products. The main thing is to create optimal conditions for this. So, how to make mold on bread as soon as possible?
Types of mold
At the moment, several varieties of microscopic fungi are known. These include black, yellow and gray mold. Some of the species are considered useful, such as red, white, and blue. With the help of this mold are made quite tasty cheeses. Moreover, such a product has many useful properties. First of all, such cheese contains protein, calcium and B vitamins. The use of such products has a positive effect on the state of the circulatory system, and also improves the digestive tract. However, you cannot eat mold cheeses for lactating and pregnant women.
Why does mold occur?
In everyday life, a person constantly encounters all kinds of mold on completely different products, as well as on things. A similar raid is formed with a special kind of fungus, the useful qualities of which a person has learned to use for good purposes. Some components are used in the manufacture of a certain group of medicines and products. It is worth noting that mold can develop in conditions that are optimally suitable for humans. For a microscopic fungus, the presence of a nutrient medium is important . And then it’s all about the small.
Why exactly bread?
Mold on bread is a fairly common occurrence. Even in the most scrupulous housewife, after some time, the product is affected by a similar fungus. And this is not an indicator of untidiness. In fact, the development of a microscopic fungus requires a nutrient medium that is rich in carbohydrates, as well as heat. Bread is an ideal product for mold growth. After all, it is rich in carbohydrates and kept warm.
If there is no bread in the house, then fruits and potatoes can be used to grow mold.
What should be the bread?
Since you need to grow mold on bread quickly, you should prepare everything you need in advance. To create the optimal environment for the growth of a microscopic fungus, it is not necessary to buy fresh baked goods. Even an old piece of bread is ideal for this. However, many experts argue that for the cultivation of mold it is better to use white pastries: a loaf or a bun.
To speed up the process, it is necessary to place the product in a room with moist and warm air. And to slow down the growth of a microscopic fungus, it is worth transferring a piece of bread to a dry and cold environment. The process itself consists of only several stages.
Stage one
Mold on bread, the photo of which can be seen below, appears a day later, if a piece of white bread is moistened a little in water, and then placed in a plastic bag. At the same time, do not tie it tightly. In this case, the package should be transparent. A similar structure of the material allows you to see if mold appeared on the bread and what color it is.
First of all, disputes affect the crust of flour products, and only later the crumb itself. If at least a small crack appears on the bread, then it is from this place that the product will begin to mold, gradually moving to the inner region. In this part, the humidity is higher, the microscopic fungus spreads much faster.
Mold spores contribute to the speedy decomposition of the crumb. As a result, bread loses its pleasant aroma and taste. A denser crust on the product does not allow the fungus to penetrate inside. Probably, many noticed that the bread sold in bags did not grow moldy for a very long time. The thing is that this product contains preservatives that do not allow the fungus to develop. Therefore, you should not take such a product for the experiment.
Stage Two
Since it is very difficult to make mold on bread in intense light, the product bag must be placed in a dark place. The first spores of a microscopic fungus will appear in a day. However, it will be difficult to see them with the naked eye. Usually these are barely noticeable strings that are hidden between the pores of the bread.
After a few days, the mold on the bread will become more noticeable. Initially, a microscopic fungus will appear with almost invisible bright spots. Gradually, they will darken and increase in size until the surface of the bread is hidden under a layer of mold.
The growth of the fungus does not end there. After a few more days, a green coating will appear, which will gradually change its hue. As a result, black mold forms on the bread. A similar phenomenon indicates that the microscopic fungus feels fine under the created conditions and decided to enlarge the colony using its own spores.
Can I eat moldy foods?
Even the white mold on bread is poison. Any product with microscopic fungi should be discarded immediately. The most dangerous is yellow mold. It would seem a harmless fungus. But in fact, mold can cause the growth of cancerous growths.
Of course, blue cheese is an exception. In addition, the microscopic fungus in this case is specially prepared, and it is noble. However, eating plain moldy cheese is dangerous.
What to do if I ate a moldy product?
So what to do if you accidentally ate moldy bread? Many people are indifferent to this. But do not look at it through your fingers. Of course, from such a supplement in the diet a person will not die. But still it is considered poisoning. First of all, the liver suffers from this.
Usually, after eating moldy foods, doctors recommend drinking regular activated charcoal. The dosage of the drug depends on the weight. For every ten kilograms you need to drink one tablet.
If a large amount of spoiled product is eaten, then a weak solution of potassium permanganate should be drunk . This will clear the stomach. For safety reasons, it is not superfluous to drink a course of a drug that helps restore liver cells.
Finally
Mold on bread, the photo under the microscope of which is striking in its beauty, is a sign that the product is environmentally friendly and suitable for consumption. It is worth noting that such microscopic fungi do not multiply in a polluted environment. When conducting the experiment, it should be noted that ordinary unleavened bread molds much faster than sweet flour products. This is because such products contain preservatives. Similar components slow down the development of the fungus.
Do not forget that mold harms our body. Scientists have found in products coated with this fungus, more than 100 toxic compounds. Eating this kind of food can lead to serious problems. Toxins that enter the body may not appear for a long time. However, after several decades, they will be the main cause of the intensive growth of cancerous tumors. It is worth noting that even heat treatment does not save products from harmful compounds. Therefore, mold-covered products must be discarded.