Here’s why you should never eat moldy bread (even if it’s just a tiny bit of mold)

When’s the last time you opened up a loaf of bread and there was a little bit of mold on one of the slices? You probably asked yourself the million dollar question: Is it ok to eat parts of moldy bread that don’t seem affected yet? The scientists have spoken, and the simple answer is no, you should never attempt to eat moldy bread (hey, you’d be surprised at how many people think otherwise).

Marianne Gravely, a senior technical information specialist for the United States Department of Agriculture, talked to NPR about this hot topic. She says it’s very easy for the roots of mold to spread all over soft food, so even if you cut off the seemingly moldy bits, you still run the risk of consuming parts of the mold.

"We don't recommend cutting mold off of bread, because it's a soft food," Gravely said.

Okay, advice taken. The roots of mold are small and intricate, and they’re sometimes imperceptible to the human eye. So even though it may not seem like the mold has spread to the rest of the slice of bread, it’s definitely a possibility there’s some gunk hiding beneath the surface.

Gravely also said she has “seen mold spread from one slice to the next,” and once mold gets into your food, it’s likely that other unwanted bacteria has crept into it as well, meaning you could be eating other crap you shouldn’t be ingesting.

When it comes to mold, “they’re pretty clever and adaptable,” according to Gravely. They love moist environments, but that doesn’t mean they can’t grow in the fridge. Make sure you package your food tightly and smartly. And, for heaven’s sake, just throw it out when mold starts to show up.