Which statement about moulds is true?

Which statement about moulds is true?

• A. Moulds can produce mycotoxins which may cause illness
• B. All moulds are harmless
• C. Moulds only grow on bread
• D. Moulds are beneficial in all cases

Answer: (A)

Moulds can produce mycotoxins which may cause illness. This is a health risk because some moulds release toxic compounds that can contaminate food; those toxins can be present even if the mould isn’t extensive or fully removed. In HACCP terms, mould growth signals a potential biological hazard, and toxins can survive heating, so simply cooking or scraping off visible mould isn’t always enough to make food safe. That’s why the true statement recognizes both the growth of moulds and their potential to produce harmful toxins. The other ideas aren’t accurate: moulds can grow on many foods besides bread and aren’t harmless in all cases; some moulds can cause spoilage, allergies, or illness, while only a few have beneficial uses in controlled processes.

Moulds can produce mycotoxins which may cause illness. This is a health risk because some moulds release toxic compounds that can contaminate food; those toxins can be present even if the mould isn’t extensive or fully removed. In HACCP terms, mould growth signals a potential biological hazard, and toxins can survive heating, so simply cooking or scraping off visible mould isn’t always enough to make food safe. That’s why the true statement recognizes both the growth of moulds and their potential to produce harmful toxins.

The other ideas aren’t accurate: moulds can grow on many foods besides bread and aren’t harmless in all cases; some moulds can cause spoilage, allergies, or illness, while only a few have beneficial uses in controlled processes.