MOULD ON YOUR MEZZE BOARDS
A lot of us will be preparing mezze boards this Christmas and it's important to really understand the ingredients on your pickle and preserve jars.
Citric acid naturally occurs in fruits and vegetables, however, it is important to make note that this is NOT the same as the citric acid found commonly on jars of pickled and preserved food jars.
The citric acid (330) found within foods is the manufactured citric acid (MCA).
So, a question that needs to be answered is how is MCA made and why have they taken something so natural and turned it into a manufactured product?
According to a toxicology report by Sweis & Cressey (2018), “99% of the world's production of MCA has been carried out using the fungus aspergillus niger since 1919.”
Aspergillus niger is a type of mold used to prevent spoilage in foods.
According to the Mayo Clinic (2021) it can cause allergic reactions in humans and lead to the following issues:
- Skin lesions
- A cough that brings up blood
- Wheezing
- Headaches
- Eye symptoms
- Joint pain
People with weakened immune systems should be extremely vigilant of “330”.
Sweis & Cressey’s (2018) report examined four cases of individuals who were experiencing the above symptoms which all began within a two to twelve-hour time frame of consuming foods with MCA. Individual symptoms would gradually resolve over an eight to seventy-two-hour period. It is important to note that none of the four cases developed the above symptoms when consuming NATURAL forms of citric acid found in lemons or limes.
Sweis & Cressey’s (2018) report also identified the main toxins within Aspergillus niger, which are “ochratoxin A (OTA) and malformin C.
OTA is a known carcinogenic...individuals are at risk of exposure to OTA if they ingest food contaminated with it such as wine, beer, coffee, dried vine fruit, pork, poultry, dairy, spices, and cacao.
Toxicity from OTA is considered serious enough that it is among the 20 mycotoxins monitored in food…”
So, how do you protect yourself? Check your ingredients and avoid citric acid as best as you can.
“✌️, ❤️ & healthy foods 🍇🍓🫐
In The Spirit of Learning, ”
