Accidentally Eating Moldy Food Usually Isn’t Cause for Alarm, Expert Says

WHO:

Fox News - Professor Brian Labus, Ph.D., spoke to Fox News Digital about moldy food.

NY Post - Nearly one in three people cut mold off food before eating the rest.

WHAT:

NY Post - The article says accidentally eating moldy food usually isn’t cause for alarm.

NY Post - Cutting mold off food may not remove all toxins.

Fox News - Labus’s advice for accidentally eating moldy food is: “Spit it out and move on with your day.”

Fox News - Firmness matters when deciding whether moldy food can be salvaged; bread and berries are examples of items that should be tossed.

WHY:

NY Post - Cutting off visible mold may not remove all toxins from the food.

HOW:

Fox News - Labus discussed firmness as a factor in deciding whether to cut mold off food or discard it.

(UPDATED October 31, 2026 09:59 UTC)

Accidentally eating moldy food usually isn’t cause for alarm, but spit it out and move on. Cutting away visible mold may leave toxins behind, so firmness matters when deciding what to discard. Bread and berries should be tossed, while nearly one in three people cut mold off food.