Dangerous mold — aflatoxins in nuts and dried fruits Bashny.Net

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We all love nuts and dried fruit — because they are not only delicious but also contain many vitamins, trace elements, and therefore is very useful for human body. However, very often some of the nuts and the dried fruits contain molds that produce aflatoxin – a poisonous substance which is a strong carcinogen, which accumulates in the body, it becomes dangerous.

Mold can be white, black, blue, green... and unsafe. It is considered the most poisonous yellow mold that produce aflatoxin. It was first detected in peanut flour about 40 years ago. Fungi can live in nuts, fruit, vegetables, grain. They come back from the soil during the ripening of the crop (in rainy summer cereals are more affected by mold), inappropriate storage or transport.

Fungi are insidious. They specifically produce poisons to capture territory and destroy the competition – a healthy microorganisms. Aflatoxin very rapidly penetrate into the interior of the product. They have neither taste nor smell, but have a strong toxicity. Dose of just 2 micrograms per kilogram of body weight can cause a systemic disease – aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are dangerous with their carcinogenic properties. They can accumulate in the liver and lead to liver cancer, induce mutations in cells. Marked immune-depressive action of the aflatoxin – reducing the General protective forces of an organism.
Microscopic fungi can be seen when a lot of them – several dozen colonies and then we see mold.

Some believe that if you eat mouldy nuts or fruit, cutting the piece where mold infested, the troubles will not. In the end, that's not going to die.But it is not so, if the mold is wound up, it struck the whole nut or fruit and it is better not to test his body strength, in particular the liver. Because the liver is responsible for detoxification, neutralizing and bringing all the harmful toxic substances.

Not always mold you can see or “taste”. Some fruits mold sometimes starts between the cotyledons. For example, peanuts, almonds, peach kernel and apricot kernel may contain undetected aflatoxin forming mold. Laboratory found that 10-20 colonies of fungi produce non-hazardous for the body the number of aflatoxin – up to 0.19 µg/kg This amount of toxin per day healthy body is able to neutralize itself.

Buyers tips:

If you care about your health, when buying nuts and dried fruits not too lazy to look at the expiration date, in what sanitary conditions they are kept of who implemented. It is better to buy nuts and dried fruits not on the market, in bulk, and store in industrial packaging.

The main criteria of freshness of the nuts is Golden or brown colouring of the fruit and pleasant aroma. By the way, dried apricots for color and protection treated with sulfur dioxide gas. But don't be tempted by too beautiful fruits – it is quite possible that the bright color is due to excess doses of sulphur dioxide in the processing of apricots.

Keep nuts and dried fruit in cool, dark and dry place. High humidity and warmth – ideal conditions for breeding mould. It is better not to make provisions for six months, and to have time to chew purchased nuts for a couple of weeks.

If you notice signs of mold, do not attempt to wash or clean it. Aflatoxins are very stable and are destroyed only after strict heat treatment. So throw spoiled without any regret. Dried fruit is better not to use without pre-soaking, boiling hot, and even better to boil them for 10-15 minutes! Fruits and vegetables before use can be soaked in water for 30 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of baking soda, removing, thus, they contained nitrates.

source: ruayurveda.livejournal.com

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