Mold on salami and cheese, what you need to know
As everyone knows, moulds and yeasts belong to the kingdom of fungi, and for years now they have been used in the food industry for the preparation of specific foods.
It is not always necessary to associate mould or mildew to something negative, for example just think that bread, beer, and wine are made thanks to yeast, but just think also of delicious cheeses such as gorgonzola cheese which contains a colony of mould inside.
Obviously, the moulds and yeasts just mentioned are called "good" moulds, therefore harmless to our health, but there are also "bad" moulds that can ruin food, and therefore need to be treated differently.
Let's start by saying that it is not the food itself that produces mould, but it is the mould that, moving through the air in the form of microscopic spore, carried along by the wind, rain or insects, lies down on the food when it meets the right conditions, i.e. the right temperature and the right humidity, after which it will begin to germinate, giving life to particular filamentous cells called "Hyphae".
The hyphae evolve and later form colonies which take on a downy appearance, visible even to the naked eye, i.e. the mould we all know.
But let's see below what you need to know about mold deposited on salami and cheese.
Mold on salami and its main functions
As you well know, the casing that covers the salami is called gut, and is made of organic and natural material. When it is placed in an environment with favourable conditions of temperature and humidity, it is attacked by what are called good moulds, which envelop the entire outer layer of the salami, acting as a true and proper maturer, helping the salami to continue its maturing process.
The moulds we find on salami have nothing in common with those we find, for example, on fruit, which becomes inedible.
The moulds present on salami have specific functions, more precisely three, let's see them better.
The first function is to slow down proteolytic activity, i.e. the process of protein degradation of which meat is mostly composed. In fact, by balancing and regulating the modifications that take place in proteins, good moulds inhibit meat putrefaction and allow its seasoning without damaging the product inside the casing.
They ensure the moisture balance with a double action: on the one hand they prevent external moisture from entering the salami, while on the other hand they ensure that the moisture contained inside the product does not escape too quickly to the outside, avoiding excessive dryness in the salami.
As a final and important function, the good mould protects the salami from all those harmful microorganisms that could not only be harmful to health, but also alter the salami's maturing process by denaturing it.
Main characteristics of food moulds
Most molds develop at a temperature ranging from 15 to 30°C, with an optimal range of 20 to 25°C, with humidity above 65%, favoring foods particularly rich in water and protein with a pH between 4 and 8.
So, it should not seem strange if mold also forms on foods stored in the refrigerator, in fact, the presence of it is not always related to an expired food, simply the mold that forms in this environment is because it has found the most favorable soil for its proliferation and survival.
The various colours of mould and how to recognise them
The colouring of moulds is an important factor to take into consideration, this is because it tells us what is happening inside our food. Let's see below the colours of the various moulds:
- Monilia Fructigena/Sitophila: this type of mold is white in color, found mainly on bread or fruit, and is orange in color.
- Fusarium: the colour of this type of mould is pink, red or purple and is found especially on substrates rich in carbohydrates, on fruit, vegetables, cereals, tubers and legumes.
- Penicillium: this is found on dried foods, cheese, refrigerated foods, barley, corn, flour, rice, citrus fruits, vegetables, fruit or baked goods. The color of this mold depends on the nutritional status and attention must be paid to it as well.
- Botrytis Cinerea: This mold occurs on vegetables, fruits, tomatoes, garlic, onions, grapes, strawberries, and even pears and apples. It is characterized by a dark gray or black color, and is not a good mold.
- Cladosporium Herbarium: this mold degenerates food stored in the refrigerator such as meat, eggs or vegetables and is olive green in color.
As for the mold present on the salami, if it takes on a black color and penetrates inside the salami, it means that the curing of the salami has failed and the product inside the 'casing has deteriorated.
Although yellow-colored mold is to be avoided, when it happens we are certainly talking about bad mold. It indicates that the pH level of the salami is altered, and therefore also the quality of the product.
It can also happen that, in the case of particularly long maturations, the salami does not show any kind of mould. When this happens, the culprit is a mite called "Ruffino", which feeds on the mould, turning it brown and causing it to fall off completely. However, there is no danger to health, but the salami will take on an appearance without that typical white patina.
How to best enjoy salami
To enjoy salami well it is advisable to first remove the skin from it, this is because cutting salami with the skin still attached will risk bringing mold inside the slice, and as a result we will make the slice of salami take on an unpleasant taste.
Of course, tastes are subjective, and for those who vice versa like to cut salami with the skin on, it is advisable to wash it under running water and dry it with a paper towel.
The rules for preserving pecorino cheese
But how do you store pecorino? First of all, the perfect place to store it is in the cellar at a temperature of 10°/15°C. It is also good to remember that a temperature that is too high facilitates perishability, while a temperature that is too cold damages the taste and smell characteristics.
The place of preservation must obviously be humid enough but not too ventilated, this is because ventilation causes dryness on the surface and will harden it. Furthermore, unless the pecorino cheese is vacuum-packed, and therefore without the presence of oxygen, the pecorino needs to breathe.
If the cheese does not breathe, it may lose most of its aromas and flavours.
But now let's look at the rules of its preservation.
To begin with the pecorino cheese should not be wrapped in film, this is because if we do this we will prevent the cheese from breathing without completely removing the oxygen, and this method will eventually cause its oxidation.
The vacuum, as mentioned above, is an excellent preservation technique for pecorino, and it also extends its shelf life. In the refrigerator it can last up to two months, but it is good to remember that even if it is in a vacuum it will continue to evolve, even if very slowly.
Another important rule of conservation is that it should not be frozen at all, because freezing makes the cheese lose all the characteristics that make it one of the best cheeses that exist.
But how is pecorino stored in the refrigerator? It can be placed in the upper and therefore cooler part of the refrigerator with a temperature between 2° and 4°C.
On the other hand, if the aged pecorino is one of the flavored ones, it is better to place it in the low compartment in the refrigerator with a temperature between 6° and 8°C. Of course, it is also best to avoid contact with other foods in the refrigerator.
To preserve it at its best, it is important to cover the pecorino cheese in greaseproof paper, making sure that the paper adheres to the entire surface perfectly, so you will avoid that the pecorino cheese dries out and above all you will avoid that it contaminates other foods with its very acccentuated smell. As an alternative to greaseproof paper, you can use linen cloths or, if you prefer, dampened cotton cloths.
Finally, once all the steps have been taken, and therefore having worked hard to keep the pecorino unaltered, in order to enjoy it at its best it is advisable to take it out of the refrigerator, unwrap it and oxygenate it at least an hour before eating it. Moreover, the perfect temperature for tasting is around 16°C.
What happens if you eat bad mold?
Perhaps not all of you know that in most cases, a small portion of mold on food ingested does not bring any damage to the body, if not for example to people with allergies, so if you have accidentally ingested a small amount of mold do not worry.
The only thing that could harm you is to eat a lot.
Let's say that moist foods such as fruit or sauces should not be eaten if they contain mold, even if they are unpacked, that is, removing the mold and continuing to eat the food, this also applies to baked goods.
As for more compact foods such as carrots, aged sausages, and aged and hard cheeses, they can be consumed by removing the moldy part.
However, there are some types of mould that are more dangerous to health. These are those that produce microtoxins, that is, toxic compounds that are harmful to the body.
Moulds can also cause alterations in the gastrointestinal system, such as vomiting and diarrhoea, kidney problems or respiratory problems such as allergic rhinitis or asthma attacks. Generally speaking, those who have a strong immune system will not suffer any consequences from mould poisoning, while those with a less strong immune system may experience some more discomfort.
Obviously and fortunately there are special regulations and inspections carried out by specific bodies whose task is to check the supply chains in the field of safety before they are released on the market, thereby protecting the health of consumers.
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