Moldy fruit 🍋

In the fight against waste, do we sometimes go too far?

We live in a time when making the most of what we have is an act of awareness. We want to reduce waste, value each food item, and give a better purpose to what used to end up in the trash. But there's a fine line between making the most of what we have and risking our health. Moldy fruit, that forgotten jam in the refrigerator door, or the leftover tomato sauce from the pizza... is it really safe to give them a second chance?

When we see a small spot of mold on a piece of fruit, it's easy to think that we just need to remove the affected part. We always hear: " Cut off the mold and eat the rest, don't be picky! " But what we don't see is that the fungus may have already spread throughout the entire food, even if only a small area is visibly altered.

Mold is composed of microscopic fungi that form invisible roots (called hyphae) and, in many cases, produce mycotoxins , toxic substances that do not disappear when cooked or heated. These toxins can accumulate in the body over time, affecting the immune system, liver, and kidneys.

It's not a matter of "causing a stomach ache," it's something more silent. Small doses, ingested daily throughout our lives, affect our long-term health, impacting the immune system, liver, and kidneys. Aflatoxin B1, for example, is a proven human carcinogen, with known effects on the liver.

Is it really worth risking our health for a piece of moldy fruit?

Not everything is the same! This applies to fruits, vegetables, sweets or jams, and soft cheeses, among other high-moisture foods; all of them should be discarded if they show signs of mold.

The only exception applies to harder foods, such as carrots, aged cheeses, or dry sausages, where mold tends to be more superficial due to their harder texture. In these cases, a generous margin of about 2.5 cm around the affected area can be removed, although the risk is never completely eliminated.

When in doubt, it's always best to opt for safety! Being sustainable doesn't mean eating everything at any cost! It means valuing food intelligently, planning, storing, and using it before it spoils.

Here are some simple tips for safely reducing waste :

• Store properly: sensitive fruits and vegetables (such as strawberries or tomatoes) should be kept in cool, well-ventilated places.
• Buy only what you need: quantities that are appropriate for consumption reduce waste.
• Plan your meals: use the most perishable foods first.
• Repurpose creatively: transform ripe fruit into jams, cakes, or smoothies—but never with signs of mold!
• Avoid damage during transport and handling.
• Freezing leftovers: tomato sauces, pesto, or soups can be frozen and used later.

And what happens when the food is no longer fit for consumption?

Instead of simply throwing it in the trash, you can turn it into compost, a natural fertilizer that returns nutrients to the soil and closes the cycle in an ecological way. If you have the space, home composting is a great way to make use of organic waste. If not, there are increasingly more community composting points in cities and towns.

We want a more sustainable world, with less waste and more respect for food. But this sustainability should never compromise our health. Enjoying food consciously means recognizing its value and respecting its limits.

Because in the end, being sustainable means taking care of the planet... and ourselves!