The definition of mould found in the oxford dictionary is “a furry growth of minute fungi occurring typically in moist warm conditions, especially on food or other organic matter”. This doesn’t paint a good picture to most of us and certainly here at Mould Removal we agree that it represents the image of those nasty moulds growing in our bathrooms, laundry’s or other moist dark places.
We talk a lot about cleaning up and removing mould problems in and around your property. But did you know there are some benefits to moulds when used in the right way or the right place.
In fact the mould you see growing on your food which has sat around for too long is actually beneficial in the breakdown of food and other organic waste. Without it our garbage piles would be over flowing and out of control. It’s probably best that this mould is kept where it belongs though…at the garbage dump, not in your cupboard or fridge.
Speaking of food and mould, it’s well known among some food connoisseurs that cheese is better with a good coating of mould on it or through it. Cheeses like Camembert and Brie have a velvety white rind, grown from a mould such as PenicilliumCandidu, covering their soft creamy interior. Whilst blue mould spores from PenicilliumRoqueforti are added to the milk at the start of the cheese making process for a variety of different Blue Cheeses.
AspergillusOryzae and AspergillusSojae have been used for many centuries in eastern Asia to aid in making soybean paste and soy sauce. There are other moulds which are used in the making of Sake, as well as some sausages and salamis.
The mould which has probably had the most positive influence on human life is PenicilliumNotatum. This mould was found to have properties which would kill bacteria in a laboratory setting. It was not for a good 10 years after this chance discovery that the bacteria killing substance found in the mould was isolated – penicillin. Penicillin was found to be able to kill a number of types of bacteria and when given to small animals, have no side effects. It was first given to a human in 1941 and since being mass produced around 1945 we have not been without it.
Mould are also used in the production of several cholesterol lowering drugs as well as the immunosuppressant drugcyclosporine, used to suppress the rejection of transplanted organs.
After saying all this, there are a lot of moulds out there which do cause more trouble than good. If your property has a mould problem and is located in the Sydney, Central Coast or Newcastle areas contact the professionals at Mould Removal today on 0408 681034 or email info@mouldremoval.net.au for an obligation free quote to treat and remove mould infestations from inside your home and to find out how to simply control the cause/s in the long term.
