Fungi
have become part and parcel in our daily life. In spite of the danger and health
problems that may be caused by some of these fungi, many people still use them
comfortably and nonchalantly. Such various types of fungi spread over several
kinds of food that we have; a matter that causes great damage to man’s health.
Based
on this realization, Prof. Raafat Abdu, Department of Genetics, Faculty of
Agriculture has conducted a research on molded bread studying the fungus that
grows and spreads on the bread we take everyday, especially the homemade bread
which we bake mostly in every upper Egyptian house. The study aimed at defining
the danger that may occur as a result of eating this molded bread particularly
at lower class regions where people may be unaware of the results of eating this
molded bread.
The
study has been conducted in collaboration with the Botany Department, Faculty of
Science. Samples of bread and flour damaged with the fungus were collected from
different areas. Results assured that most of the fungi examined belong to the
type known as Aspergillus (a dark type of fungi which spread mostly over foods
at homes). It was also found out that a large portion of the thermo-resistant
fungi exist in the flour, whereas the other types on the surface of the bread
happen to damage the bread as a result of pollution after the baking process
since this type is not thermo-resistant.
The
conclusion asserts the poisonous consequences of using fungi-polluted bread or
flour and this is not confined to bread and flour only but the poisonous effect
may extend to include most legumes when stored in an environment that helps in
the growth and spread of fungi. Therefore, the study recommends that people
should take the utmost care when using molded bread even for feeding cattle or
farm animals.
A Study in Assiut University Molded Bread is a Poisonous Killer of Humans