Is It Safe to Eat Moldy Food?

When to cut around it and when it’s time to toss

Aaron Kassraie

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Published March 17, 2026

still-life arrangement of decaying fruit, including a bruised banana, a shriveled apple, and a sliced fruit showing interior mold, set against a dark, moody background

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Notice a fuzzy patch on your food? Before you toss it or nervously cut around it, pause. Not all moldy foods are the same, and a lot of common wisdom about what’s safe might be wrong. These practical tips can help you figure out what’s OK to eat and what’s not, especially for older adults who want to stay safe without wasting food.

First, it’s important to know that mold doesn’t cause what we think of as “food poisoning,” though it can still pose a health risk.

“Foodborne diseases are caused by pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites. Mold and yeast are fungi and are generally considered spoilage organisms because they alter the quality of the product,” says Abby Snyder, associate professor of food science at Cornell University. “However, some mold growth can pose a food safety hazard.”

That’s what makes moldy food tricky: Sometimes the affected portion can be removed, while other times the entire item should be thrown out.

With that in mind, here are some common myths and facts about moldy food to help you decide what’s safe to eat and what should be tossed:

Myth: One moldy berry ruins the entire bunch.

photo shows a punnet of blueberries affected by mold,

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Fact: Nobody likes a mushy or moldy berry, but it doesn’t mean you need to toss the whole carton. Instead, throw out the moldy berries and any that were in direct contact with them.

Tip: Make sure to wash the remaining berries well before you eat them, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Myth: Scoop the fuzzy spot off yogurt and eat the rest.

Fact: Yogurt and sour cream have a high moisture content, which allows mold and potentially harmful bacteria to spread below the surface. If you see any signs of mold, the entire container should be thrown out.

Tip: If you live alone or don’t eat yogurt often, choose single-serve cups to reduce the risk of contamination.

Myth: A vegetable with mold on it is ruined.

Fact: Mold has difficulty penetrating dense foods, so sometimes firm fruits such as cabbage, bell peppers and carrots can sometimes be salvaged. Cut off at least an inch around and below the moldy area.

“Be generous in determining how much of the affected portion should be removed by cutting at least 1 inch outside of where the mold is growing,” Snyder recommends. “For other products, consumers are advised to discard moldy products for foods that are softer and promote the diffusion of mycotoxins or growth of the mold below the surface.”

Tip: Keep your knife away from the moldy spot so you don’t contaminate the rest of the food.

Myth: You can scrape mold off jam or jelly and still eat it.

Fact: Mold thrives in sugar and high-acid foods. If mold appears on jam or jelly, it may be producing mycotoxins — toxic compounds that can spread beyond what you can see — so it’s safest to throw the entire jar away.

Tip: Buy smaller jars, refrigerate after opening and follow expiration dates on the label.

Myth: Reheating food kills mold and other contaminants, making it safe to eat

Fact: While heat can destroy some mold spores, many mycotoxins are heat stable and can survive normal cooking and food processing. Once food is moldy, reheating cannot make it safe again.

“Some molds produce mycotoxins when they grow on certain foods — corn, wheat and peanuts, for example,” Snyder says. “Mycotoxin production due to mold growth on prepared food has not been well studied, so safety recommendations are relatively conservative.”

Tip: Don’t count on reheating to make it safe. If you won’t eat leftovers within a few days, freeze them in smaller, labeled containers so they’re used before mold has a chance to take hold.

Myth: It’s safe to cut the moldy part out of cheese.

Fact: Some cheeses, like blue cheese and Brie, have food-grade molds that are grown under controlled conditions. But if you notice unintended fuzzy or moldy spots on soft cheeses — such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta or sliced and crumbled cheeses — it’s best to discard them. Mold can spread throughout soft cheeses even when it’s not visible, and may also contain harmful bacteria, including listeria, brucella, salmonella and E. coli.

With hard and semisoft varieties like cheddar, Colby and Parmesan, the mold can be safely removed. Cut away at least 1 inch around and below the affected area, and avoid letting the knife pass through the mold, as this can spread contamination to the rest of the cheese.

Alternatively, some molds are intentionally used in food production and are safe to eat. For example, blue-veined cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton are made with Penicillium roqueforti spores, while Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Some cheeses even have both internal and surface mold. The risk comes from unintended mold growth, which isn’t controlled and may carry toxins or harmful microbes.

Tip: Always buy cheese made with pasteurized milk, advises the Mayo Clinic.

Myth: Mold is like penicillin. It’s basically a medicine.

Fact: Although penicillin is derived from certain fungi, it’s produced through controlled fermentation and combined with other ingredients before being administered as an antibiotic. Mold growing on food is not the same and can be harmful.

Tip: People who are allergic to molds or have respiratory problems should be especially cautious when handling or consuming foods with signs of mold.

Moldy loaf of bread, dirt, germs, mildew and mess

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Myth: Tearing off moldy bread makes it safe to eat.

Fact: Bread is porous, so once it’s contaminated, mold can spread below the surface. Moldy bread should therefore be thrown away. Mold also releases spores that can float through the air, so check foods stored nearby, like in the same bread box, for signs of cross-contamination.

Mycotoxins: Where they show up

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds most commonly produced by molds that grow on grains and nuts. Foods and drinks that may be affected include:

Apples and apple juice
Celery
Cereals
Coffee beans
Corn
Dried fruit
Grapes and grape juice
Oats
Peanuts
Rice
Rye
Spices
Wheat

Source: Cleveland Clinic

Tip: Buy smaller or half-loaves, or freeze part of the bread to extend its shelf life.

Myth: Moldy country ham and hard salami should never be eaten.

Fact: Mold can develop during the curing process on meats such as country ham. But if it’s a dry-cured country ham, wash the surface with hot water and scrub the mold off using a sturdy vegetable brush. It’s then safe to eat, according to the Department of Agriculture. Note: This does not apply to cooked deli meats or leftovers.

Tip: Label dry-cured items and store them separately from other foods in the refrigerator.

Myth: If it doesn’t smell bad, it’s safe to eat.

Fact: You can’t rely on smell or appearance to judge whether food is safe to eat, especially when the power goes out. Foods like deli meat, leftover cooked meat, casseroles, grains and pastas can harbor contamination below the surface, even if they smell fine. If you see mold, throw these items away.

Tip: Keep a kitchen thermometer in the refrigerator. If the temperature rises above 40°F for more than two hours, it’s best to throw any refrigerated food away.

What happens if you eat mold or its toxins?

While mold can change the texture of foods and make it taste bad, the bigger risk comes from mycotoxins, which can trigger nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, fever, brain fog, blurred vision and short-term memory issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic. People with health conditions or those who drink alcohol may experience more severe symptoms.

Repeated exposure to small amounts of mycotoxins over time may contribute to longer-term health problems, including impaired cognitive function and an increased risk of asthma and certain cancers.

“Consumption of high levels of mycotoxins can cause acute symptoms, but repeated low dose exposure to mycotoxins over long periods of consumption can result in chronic conditions,” says Snyder. “For example, in some countries where the climate contributes to mycotoxin formation in staple crops, chronic exposure increases cancer risk.”

If someone develops symptoms consistent with mycotoxin exposure — nausea, vomiting or high fever, a doctor may order blood tests and recommend further evaluations. Treatment typically focuses on eliminating the toxins through dietary changes, gut health support, exercise (to encourage sweating) and supplements.

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Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English. 