I’m a food safety expert and here’s the 4 foods you CAN eat when mouldy

IN the current cost-of-living crisis food shopping is quite frankly extortionate. 

It can therefore be tempting to cut the mould off food instead of chucking it out and wasting money.

But how safe is this, really?

What is food mould?

Food mould is microscopic fungi.

They reproduce by releasing spores into the air, and when they fall on to food that’s starting to turn, they can grow.

Eating mould can make you very sick.

But in some cases, cutting the mould off food can make it safe to eat, according to some food safety experts.

So what mouldy foods are safe to eat?

1. Jams and marmalade 

Skimming the mould off jam and marmalades and eating what's underneath is fine.

"It's got quite a lot of sugar," food safety expert Sylvia Anderson said, which is a preservative.

But if you’re unsure, or the jam has a thick layer of mould, it’s best to spoon it straight into the food waste bin. The same applies to jars of curry paste.

2. Firm fruit and veg

Firm fruit and veg with little spots of fuzzy mould can usually be salvaged – but don't put your knife in the mould in case of cross-contamination, the expert told .

Avoid fruit and veg that's slimy this is a signal the presence of bacteria that can cause food poisoning or stomach pain.

3. Hard cheese

Dry cheeses such as cheddar resist mould well, as they don’t provide the moist conditions it needs to multiply.