What to do When Accidentally Ate Moldy Bread

You might be enjoying your bread and then suddenly bite into a patch of mold. End up realizing that your food has disgusting substance in it.

Well, no need to panic or go to a hospital. Consuming a little bit of moldy food likely isn’t going to harm you. However, in some cases, the mold found on spoiled food could be harmful. So if you develop symptoms like shortness of breath or an elevated temperature, then better seek medical help. 

What to do when accidentally ate moldy bread?

If you have a healthy immune system, you don’t need to do anything if you accidentally sunk your teeth into moldy bread. If you have a healthy immune system most fungus and molds will be destroyed when they enter your stomach.

In fact, you would hardly notice that you ate something disgusting. Your stomach will just digest it just like any other food.

It’s normal that you feel some nauseousness. But this feeling is not from the mold itself, it is most likely from your mind, thinking that you ate something grossed.

Can you get sick from eating mold?

No, eating mold from a slice of bread can’t cause sickness. It’s normal to feel a little nauseous and a slight stomach ache.

But if there are other symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea and it persists, you should seek a doctor right away. You might be allergic to mold and that may be the reason you’re vomiting or experiencing other symptoms.

Allergic reactions to mold are not common but not life-threatening. So this is temporary and with the doctor’s help, you will recover just fine.

Can the rest of the bread be salvaged?

Just because you think that one bread has mold and the others are safe because you don’t see mold on the surface of the bread, think again. Mold spores can spread quickly and can easily penetrate the other breads. 

How long does it take to get food poisoning from moldy bread?

This is very unlikely to happen if you just ate a small bite. But if you eat a large amount of moldy bread, then expect to experience the symptoms just a few minutes after the consumption.

Should I make myself throw up if I ate moldy bread?

It’s normal to throw up since you will be disgusted by eating moldy bread. But no need to force yourself to throw up, in fact, you don’t need to do anything. Just let your stomach’s acidic environment handle everything.

Is bread mold penicillin?

Surprising as it may seem but that mold growing on your bread can actually be penicillin. While it is penicillin, using it to treat illnesses is not advisable.

Can toasting bread kill mold?

No, toasting bread can’t kill mod. Actually, if you heat the bread you just create an environment that allows the mold spores to spread more quickly to the other breads. The best thing to do is throw your batch of molded breads and buy a fresh batch.

How to keep bread from molding?

The best way to keep your bread fresh is to store it in a cool and dark place. Avoid putting it in hot places or with unstable humidity as heat can only help with the mold growth.

Tightly sealing the bread can also keep the molds away. Placing your breads in a sealable bag or gently pushing along the outside of the plastic bag to get rid of the air and sealing it properly can keep your bread fresh and mold free.

The other way is to store your bread in the fridge. Thanks to the cool and dark conditions of the fridge, the molds will not develop. 

How to keep bread from molding in a bread box?

Bread boxes are designed specifically for storing bread. It has enough humidity and air circulation to keep your bread soft and mold free.

To properly store your breads in bread boxes, don’t wrap your loaves and insert one loaf at a time. Then seal the housing properly and place it in an area away from heat.

Can you keep bread fresh in a drawer?

Yes, a clean empty drawer is a good place to store your bread. It can keep your bread fresh for two days. Just bundle bread up in a clean towel and place it in your drawer.

Melissa is a food enthusiast and one of the founders of Kitchen Study - a food blog about the vegan lifestyle, meal delivery services and cooking guides. She writes about delicious vegan dishes from all over the world. From quick and easy weekday lunches to perfect Sunday dinner recipes, we have it all covered!