In ancient times, people had a lot of headaches to preserve pork. However, clever humans have created a delicious food – bacon – that both prolongs the shelf life of pork and allows people to taste delicious pork during the cold winter months.
However, like many things, bacon has its drawbacks. Sometimes, due to long-term storage, bacon will inevitably become moldy and the surface is covered with mold. These molds are mainly divided into three categories: white, green and yellow, which are Mucormycetes, Penicillium and Aspergillus flavus. All three are inedible, especially Penicillium and Aspergillus flavus, which can cause food poisoning.
First, let's take a look at these three types of mold. If the bacon is white mucor mold, only slightly moldy, as long as the mold part is removed in time, and the other parts of the bacon have no peculiar smell, fishy smell, and no rot and deterioration, then it can continue to be eaten. Mucormycetes are only moldy on the surface and do not penetrate into the bacon. However, if the mucor mold on the bacon is already quite severe, it may indicate that there is a lot of bacteria multiplying inside, so it is not recommended to eat it.
And if there are green penicillium on the surface of the bacon, you need to be careful. The toxins produced by Penicillium can be harmful to humans, and Penicillium may penetrate into bacon. Once penicillium is found on bacon, it should never be eaten to avoid poisoning. As for the yellow Aspergillus flavus, it must not be touched. Aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus is a carcinogen that causes serious damage to the liver. If bacon is covered with this mold, it should never be eaten and must be discarded immediately.
To sum up, for bacon overgrown with mold, it is first necessary to understand the type and degree of mold. As long as it is white mucor mold, slightly moldy bacon can still be eaten, but once it is found to be penicillium or aspergillus flavus, it must not be eaten, and it must be discarded in time for the sake of the health of yourself and your family. Food safety should not be taken lightly to avoid small losses and big losses.
So, how to better preserve bacon? First of all, you need to find a suitable storage place. A ventilated and dry place is usually a good choice. The bacon can be hung near the vents, which can not only keep the bacon dry, but also avoid the invasion of moisture and odors. However, in humid weather, bacon needs to be properly packaged. Some choose to wrap it in newspaper, some in gauze, and some put the bacon directly in a sealed bag. Either way, make sure the bacon is completely sealed to prevent the ingress of air and bacteria.
Finally, bacon needs to be checked regularly. Although air-dried bacon has a longer shelf life, it also needs to be checked regularly to ensure that the bacon has not become moldy or spoiled. Once a problem is found, it must be dealt with in time to avoid affecting the quality of other bacon.
Overall, air-dried bacon requires a suitable storage location, proper packaging, and regular inspections. Only then will you be able to taste delicious bacon during the season and enjoy the fruits of your labor to the fullest.