Regardless of whether they have picked mushrooms themselves or bought them: Almost every mushroom lover has already been confronted with the very common phenomenon of white “mold” on fresh mushrooms. Some people prefer to throw such mushrooms away, after all, mold is extremely dangerous to he alth. In fact, it is usually the harmless fungal mycelium.
Is mushroom mold dangerous?
White “mold” on mushrooms is usually harmless mushroom mycelium that forms on very ripe mushrooms and does not affect their edibility. Only throw away the mushrooms if they have a strong smell, dark spots, colored fuzz or rotten spots.
White fluff is mycelium
What we commonly call a “mushroom” is basically just the fruiting body of the fungus that actually grows underground, the mycelium. This is a widely branched network of white threads that runs through the soil or growing substrate and is sometimes noticeable on very ripe fruiting bodies. These secrete spores to reproduce, from which new mycelium eventually grows. In this respect, your mushrooms, which are streaked with white threads, are not bad, they are just very ripe - which is why a new mushroom mycelium has already formed. If you want, you can use these specimens to grow your own mushrooms or simply wipe the mycelium with a kitchen towel. The mushrooms are definitely still edible.
When to throw away mushrooms
However, this only applies as long as the mushrooms covered in mycelium still look fresh and crunchy and exude a pleasant mushroomy smell. However, you should under no circumstances use it (but instead dispose of it) if you notice the following characteristics:
- Mushrooms smell strong or unpleasant.
- Mushrooms no longer look fresh, have many dark spots.
- Mushrooms are covered with colored fluff.
- Molds on mushrooms are usually black, brown or green.
- Mushrooms have rotten or musty spots.
In these cases – only one of the mentioned characteristics has to apply! – the mushrooms must be disposed of, otherwise you risk food poisoning.
Store fresh mushrooms properly
To prevent fresh mushrooms from becoming moldy, you should remove them (if you bought them) from the packaging (usually plastic boxes) and store them in a cool, dry and dark place. The best place for this is the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, as the mushrooms, wrapped in a dry and clean kitchen towel, will last for three to four days. However, it is best to use fresh mushrooms on the same day, as they spoil very quickly due to their high water and protein content.
Tip
The white mycelium fluff is not only typical for mushrooms, but also for oyster mushrooms.
