The Science Project in the Refrigerator

The other day I opened the refrigerator door to look for something delightful to snack on. What I found instead was a bad science project that had gone awry. At that point, my plans changed from snacking to cleaning.

Apparently I had let it go to long, because I could swear my left overs snarled at me. In fact, when I reached for the block of cheese it stepped aside, allowing me to miss touching it all together.

Now I was beginning to feel like I was in a remake of a sci-fi movie as I jumped and yelled, "It's alive!"

My first instinct was to close the door and pretend like I saw nothing, but from the activity on the top shelf I knew it was time to do something about it. So, first I made a pail of diluted bleach water, and after setting traps to catch the living, moving organisms, I threw out the bad food. Now it was time to wipe down everything with the bleach water to prevent further contamination.

Next, I made another pail of clean, fresh water and mixed a 1/4 c. of baking soda in it to wipe everything down and remove any residue that might still be lurking in the corners.

After everything was completed, I realized that I had a lot more room in there, so I went grocery shopping to fill in all the empty spaces.

Okay, with all kidding aside, mold can be serious stuff. Many are allergic to mold and inhaling it could result in respiratory problems for anyone. Mold toxins are powerful little buggers, and can last a long time. That is why it is so important to dispose of food that is moldy, immediately.

They say that you can cut the mold off cheese and still use it, but just the thought makes me wrinkle my nose. At this point I would have to say, to each their own. If you do reuse moldy cheese, keep this in mind; it is important to cut at least 1 inch past the mold, and do not let your knife touch the mold or it will be contaminated and will expose the place where you are cutting. Re-wrap the cheese in clean,dry plastic bags. DO NOT re-use the same one, as it has mold spores growing on it and you will only infect the remaining cheese.

Food growing mold could also contain bacteria as well and should be avoided. Fruits & vegetables, casseroles, etc. can not be re-used once mold has begun to grow. The same holds true for processed meats, soft cheeses, sour cream, etc. Holiday meals should be refrigerated immediately and not allowed to sit out. Remove the dressing from the turkey before placing it in the refrigerator, do not store turkey with dressing still inside. This is a sure invitation to food poisoning.

If you find moldy food in the refrigerator, it is time to clean it out, mold spores can build up and contaminate other foods, shortening their life span.
So, unless you are conducting science experiments in your refrigerator, and wish to see the many colors that mold can grow, Keep it clean and keep it safe.