Mold allergies
Fungi have an important function in nature: they “clean up” by breaking down organic building materials from dead and rotten material, transforming them into inorganic material and returning it to the natural cycle (this process can be well observed in compost, for example). In order to reproduce, fungi produce spores that are invisible to the naked eye. Fungal spores can occur in high concentrations in the air, from where they can be inhaled and cause allergic reactions in the respiratory tract .
In Central Europe, various types of mold are known to trigger allergies ; from a biological point of view, these are, for example, the genera Alternaria , Aspergillus , Cladosporium , Mucor and Penicillium . Mold grows wherever there is moisture and warmth.
Molds in the home environment
Fungi of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus thrive best in high humidity, especially in poorly ventilated damp rooms (bathrooms, toilets) or on damp walls, wallpaper, wood panelling, mattresses, in air conditioners and humidifiers, garbage and flower pots.
Note: An allergy to Penicillium fungi is different from an allergy to the antibiotic penicillin .
Fungi in the wild
The fungi Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum have the greatest allergenic potential in the wild . Both species grow on the surface of leaves (e.g. grasses, cereals), in plant waste and in the soil. The highest concentration of their spores occurs in July and August, but lower values can be measured throughout the year. People allergic to mold often develop symptoms after contact with hay, silage, mulch bark, dry soil, peat, compost, fallen leaves, and grain threshing.
Mold in food
In general, molds are of very little importance as food allergens . However, all people, not just allergy sufferers, should be careful about mold in food. Fungi break down food and make it inedible. It is not enough to just remove the visible mold coating, because invisible mold fibers usually grow through the entire food. Bread, fruit, jam, cheese, meat, sausages and nuts are particularly prone to spoilage. The danger of mold poisoning affects all people – that is, not only those who have a mold allergy.
Some fungi and their products are used purposefully in the production and processing or aging of foods, e.g. in baked goods (yeast), beer, wine and other spirits, vinegar and vinegar products, some types of cheese such as Camembert or Roquefort, soy and steak sauces , and even in chocolate. Enzymes, as products of fungal metabolism , also break down potatoes in the production of mashed potatoes or fruit in the production of fruit juices. At the same time, manufacturers are not obliged to list these molds on their product packaging.
Allergic reactions to
