Nuts and dried fruits are gifts of nature. They are endowed with unique beneficial properties and are rich in vitamins. Their main feature is that they retain all the benefits of fresh fruit and are available at any time of the year. This is not only a delicacy, but a medicine for anemia, thrombosis, and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
However, those nuts and dried fruits are useful in the production of which the technology and storage conditions were strictly observed. Otherwise, there is a high probability of contamination of the product with mold fungi, which are widespread in nature. Mold accompanies a person throughout his life. She is omnipresent. There are more than 100 species, but only half are safe for humans.
Among the varieties of mold, yellow is the most dangerous; it is the one that produces aflatoxin, a deadly microscopic toxin. It is the most powerful carcinogen. It tends to accumulate in the body and cause a serious disease - cancer of the liver and pancreas. Aflatoxin is quite toxic, tasteless and odorless. These mushrooms settle on dried fruits and nuts that have a high oil content. And the main provocateurs of growth and development are moisture and heat.
Many people believe that dried fruits with a small amount of mold can be eaten. It is enough just to wash, clean the damaged surface or pour boiling water over it. It's a delusion. Barely visible mold on the surface indicates damage to the entire product from the inside. Aflotaxins quickly attack nuts and dried fruits and instantly penetrate inside.
It should be remembered that mold cannot be heat treated and in practice there is not a single reliable method of getting rid of toxins. Don’t tempt fate - exclude moldy foods from your diet, especially dried fruits and nuts.
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How to choose dried fruits and nuts?
- Treats should be purchased from stores with low humidity levels. Stores located in the basement are excluded. If this is a bazaar, then there should be no fresh flowers or eateries nearby where they fry and boil.
- When purchasing the product, you must carefully inspect it. Many characteristics indicate an increased risk of product contamination with mold: damage to the integrity of the packaging, expired expiration date, wrinkled and soft fruits.
- Condensation on the packaging indicates violations of the rules for storing fruits - violation of humidity and temperature conditions. In most cases, this indicates that the fungus is already in charge.
- You should not buy fruits in plastic packaging. Plastic is the ideal solution for packaging. It is recommended to store dried fruits in paper or cotton bags.
- Pay attention to the appearance of the fruit. They should be evenly colored, not wrinkled or have a strange coating.