Moldy Fridge Finds

At the end of the semester my roommates and I opened our fridge to discover some moldy foods we haven’t eaten these last few weeks of school as finals approached… 

Here is a picture of some moldy foods I found in my fridge and inside of my french coffee press. Backstory: some of the foods have gotten moldy because my roommate hasn’t been staying in the dorm and I also have been stressed with finals to the point where I forgot about the existence of my french press and when I went to use it I found this beautiful sheet of mold on top of the coffee grounds I thought it was too pretty to not try and look at under the microscope. 


A kind of fungus called mold is both a decomposer and a possible health risk in our ecosystem. Microspores are always present in the air and are the means by which molds proliferate, flourishing in moist and humid conditions. Although mold breaks down organic matter and recycles nutrients, it plays an important ecological role. However, when mold invades indoor spaces, it can cause serious problems. Homes and buildings with water damage, high humidity, or inadequate ventilation are common places for mold growth. In order to stop mold from growing indoors, water leaks must be fixed, and adequate ventilation must be maintained. Mold can cause allergies and other health concerns. 
In addition, some mold species create mycotoxins, which are dangerous to breathe in or consume. Therefore, it is essential for maintaining environmental balance and ensuring human health to comprehend the factors that encourage the formation of mold and to put into practice efficient moisture management techniques.

Sources: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/mold/index.cfm

I wanted to deep dive into the kinds of molds I found in my fridge to see if I could observe anything with the foldscope!


Fun Facts about mold: 

 MOLD IS ACTUALLY VERY COLORFUL
Most household molds show up as dark splotches, but the unhealthy stuff can present itself in a wide range of colors. Orange, green and even white mold can make itself at home in your home.

IT HAS TO HAVE MOISTURE TO LIVE

Mold loves a damp environment especially in dark, hidden spaces. A good way to discourage the fungus is to keep your home’s interior humidity between 30 and 40 percent.

MOLD IS JUST ONE IN 200,000

Mold stands out as just one of more than 200,000 fungal species. That number becomes much more impressive when you consider there are more than 100,000 individual species of mold.
https://www.servicemasterbyzaba.com/blog/facts-about-mold/ 



Looking through the moldy residues in my refrigerator under the microscope, I saw an interesting decay. The once green pepper, now discolored by the complex mold filaments with spores. The coffee was covered  by a layer of mold, exposing a variety of varied fungal forms and highlighting how common nature's recycling systems are. Even the purple cabbage, which was freshness when we bought it, now displayed mold colonies growing in between its creases. Decay and decomposition was revealed by observing the microscopic world of the moldy foods, highlighting the ongoing fluctuation of life in the hidden corners of our kitchens. This offered a fresh viewpoint on the ability of microbes to change once-edible objects into a work of ecological art.
Even though I had a very difficult time focusing the foldscope on fold 1 (and it absolutely did not work at all with fold 2), I was still able to closely observe these naked samples to see the intricacy of mold.