What Are the Types of Fruit Mold and Mildew?
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Fruit mold and mildew can cause infections, allergies and respiratory problems not just when eaten, but through breathing in the spores. Some mold produces mycotoxins, which are poisonous. Fresh fruit can be contaminated in the field, during harvest, in the shops or during transportation, so wash your fruit thoroughly when you reach home. Most types of mold grow quickest at higher temperatures, so storing fruit in the fridge will lengthen its life. If you find one isolated patch of mold on firm fruits like apples, it is safe to cut an inch around the moldy part and eat the rest. If there is more than one patch, discard it. In soft fruits like peaches or strawberries, mold spreads quickly, and infected fruit should be thrown away. - Botrytis cinerea, also known as gray mold, most commonly affects grapes, strawberries and rhubarb. The name means grapes of ashes in Latin, because the mold is gray-colored and has a nobbly texture, clustering in small circles. On grapes, botrytis cinerea can cause winegrower's lung, a rare respiratory allergic reaction, in people who are predisposed, according to Academic Dictionary. It is sometimes deliberately cultivated in wine production, as part of the process for making sweet desert wines like Aszú of Tokay or Sauternes.
- The name rhizopus covers a range of about 50 species of fungi which feed on plants and animals. The types that attack fruit are called R. arrhizus and R. artocarpi. They grow on mature fruits, particularly apples. Some Rhizopus species carry human zygomycosis, a fungal infection that can be fatal, according to Critical Care. Rhizopus infections can also be linked to diabetic ketoacidosis; patients with this condition are more vulnerable to infection through contact with the mold.
- Alternaria is a type of fungi with 299 species. This fungus occurs in flora and fauna all over the world and is a common allergen, which can sometimes lead to asthma, according to the National Institutes of Health. It can cause opportunistic infections, which are not dangerous to most people, but can do serious harm to someone with a weak immune system, such as an HIV patient, according to the CDC. The fungus has club-shaped spores which sometimes gather in long chains. They can grow thick colonies or patches, which are usually black or gray colored.
- The word penicillium comes from the Latin penicillus, meaning paintbrush, because the fungus consists of a thin stem, and arms -- or conidiophores -- which resemble bristles. The fungus produces penicillin, used in medicine to curb the spread of infection. It is most common on old bread but also attacks fruit; it has a blue, fuzzy appearance and contains potentially harmful toxins.
- Cladosporium is an olive-green, brown or black fungus which is very common indoors and outdoors. The spores are allergens, and the mold can cause infections of the skin and toenails, sinusitis or pulmonary infections. It can produce an unpleasant smell, and in damp houses may spread to household surfaces.
- This fungi is most likely to grow on pumpkins, but also attacks melons. It has a white, fuzzy appearance and is a toxigenic mold, which means it is dangerous to eat.
- A fungi present in all soils, trichoderma is transparent at first, and later forms green, yellow or white tufts, and darkens over time. Trichoderma is deliberately used in agriculture. It produces antibiotics that are toxic to humans.
- A yeastlike fungus, aureobasidium can grow on apples and grapes. If it spreads to humidifiers or air conditioners, it can lead to an allergic reaction called humidifier lung.
- Geotrichum is a yeast found in fruit, as well as cereals and dairy products. It includes several species and may have an intense, sweet smell like pineapple. Geotrichum is rapidly growing, white, dry and powdery. It can cause infection when inhaled or ingested, particularly in people whose immune system is weak.
