Mr Mist’s Blog

Bizzywig off of Bizzywig’s Blog suggested that I might want to look at creating some new mouldy stuff, using Piccalilli. 

Now, I’ve not done any mould experiments for a while now. I’m not completely adverse to creating a new one – though my wife is not as taken by the idea as I am – but I would need to be sure that it’s the right one. 

Of course, Piccalilli has the advantage that the mould is automatically contained within the very jar that the foodstuff arrives in.  The downside to this, I think, compared to my previous exploits, would be that the jar would offer a relatively small surface area from which to observe the mould growth.  This does concern me a little. 

I think at this point though that I would not be happy with the mould-inna-icecream-tub approach that I’ve used before, because it would be all too prone to damage from cat interest.

So I guess it is open to you, the readers.  If you want to see any particular mouldy stuff experiment next, please comment and let me know.   (I should say that I won’t be doing any mouldy meat experiments.  Mouldy meat is just too much, and I’m not quite that bonkers. )

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First off, I have a couple of replies to make to commenters..

Armin [www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk] responded to my last entry, helpfully explaining that it was The Independent that had carried the drunken calling story [news.independent.co.uk]. So that is good.

Secondly I had a few commenters asking how mould is formed. To be honest I can’t quite remember the specifics. Mould is organic growth that forms when spores from the air make contact with foodstuffs and have a suitable environment to live in (things like light, heat, moisture). Mould will grow quicker and better in a moist warm environment. Here’s a page about mould [www.airearthandwater.com].

You can tell from my mouldy bread project what happens when a piece of preservative-added bread is kept fairly dry – you get virtually no mould at all.

The past few days have seen a programme on BBC1 about Super Volcanoes [news.bbc.co.uk] backed up by sciencey follow-ups on BBC2. It wasn’t majorly gripping drama, but it was pretty interesting because it had a reasonable scientific basis and, I suppose, could happen. If we had a giant volcanic eruption over in the US then most of the US would be destroyed and the rest of the world would be plunged into permanent winter for a good few years. We can’t do anything about it with present technology. So there’s something to ponder, eh?

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Hi. Someone asked in a comment why bread goes mouldy. Well, there’s a few things.

First, it helps for the bread to be out in the open air, where it will be exposed to the bacteria in the air that cause the mould to start growing. If the bread is sealed, then it is unlikely that mould growth will occur (it is still possible because some bacteria may have gotten to the bread during the making process.) However, once the mould spores have gotten to the bread, then you want to limit the air circulation, as this will keep moisture levels up.

Second, a damp atmosphere will encourage the mould growth. For example, bread left in plastic bag will mouldify quicker than in the bread bin, other things being equal.

Sunlight is not a great factor, though in can decrease the level of mould growth.

Temperature is important, mould likes high temperatures.

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Hmm. I just had a comment from some other folk [www.cheesy-wotsits.co.uk] about my Mouldy Bread. Basically, they also did mouldy bread, starting in October (this year) and their mouldy bread has pretty much disintegrated into a mess of mould.

Meanwhile, *my* mouldy bread, which has been sat in my room since about Feb, still only has one tiny spec of mould, the picture not having changed for around six months.

I can only conclude that either my bread is invincible, or that it requires severe moisture to go mouldy, hence keeping your bread in the plastic bag in which it is provided is a severly bad idea, hence wooden bread bins being a good plan, or keeping your bread in the freezer. Yes.

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I should really post about what happened with the Mouldy Bread Project. Well, basically, it’s not going mouldy. The bread has been there for over a month and hasn’t changed at all.

I’ve tried to encourage it along with bits of water and air, but it’s not having any of it. I must say that it is possible that the Whole White bread just does not go mouldy. In which case I must recommend the brand

So, I will post another picture if or when it ever changes….

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