Mold spores. They almost sound like alien invaders from a 1950’s sci-fi movie — “Attack of the Killer Mold Spores!” But that description may not be too far off the mark. Mold is dangerous. It can be more prevalent and can cause more health problems than termites, carbon monoxide, asbestos, or radon. In fact, mold is everywhere and impossible to get rid of in nature. According to the EPA website, “There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.” From one third to one half of all buildings in the United States have the damp conditions necessary to facilitate the growth of mold, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Mold and mold spores can cause serious health problems and, in the case of someone with mold sensitivities, even death. Many people are vaguely aware of the health concerns when it comes to mold but most do not know that mold can also cause serious damage to a house or building (similar to a termite infestation.) When it comes to protecting your family and your home, fighting and preventing mold should be at the top of every homeowner’s list.

WHAT IS MOLD?

The simple answer: molds are part of the fungi kingdom, similar to yeasts or mushrooms (the antibiotic Penicillin is actually a mold.) Mold is a living organism, a part of nature, and even has a beneficial function – it breaks down all of our dead organic matter. Mold reproduces by releasing tiny spores, invisible to the naked eye, into the air. These spores land in moist areas and begin to grow and spread. While there are hundreds of thousands of varieties of mold, none would exist without the presence of moisture, air, and something to feed on. Since mold will always exist outdoors, it is important to control the one ingredient a homeowner doesn’t need inside the house – moisture.

Mold can grow on rotting wood, grass, weeds, and compost piles. The problem is that it can also grow where you don’t want it to – indoors. It can be found on food or clothing, in bathrooms and attics and damp basements, on carpeting, and even inside the walls of a house. Mold can feed on the wood in the wall, breaking down the materials as it spreads unseen throughout a house. As the mold digests organic material, it continues to spread to find new food sources.

Spotting mold can be easy, if the mold colony is visible. Mold comes in a variety of colors (including white, black, green, gray, brown, and more), bunching as spots or discolorations. If the mold is not visible, someone may not recognize mold is present until it is late in the process. People discover mold when there is physical damage to a structure or an increase in musty smells. Sometimes mold won’t be found until the occupants experience health problems. By then, it may be too late. Whenever a house or building has an overexposure to moisture, it is important to inspect for mold. Moisture overexposure can come from many sources, including:

Floods

Roofs or basements that leak

Irrigation or fire sprinklers

Shower or bath water

Sink or sewer overflow

Humidifiers

Plumbing leaks



WHY SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT MOLD?

There are two main reasons to worry about the spread of mold in a building. The most important consideration – mold can cause health problems. The second consideration – property damage. Frank Foreman, President & CEO of NO ODOR, Inc, a mold remediation company, believes mold is coming to the forefront because everyone is learning that mold damage can affect property value.

Let’s start with the health issues. Molds produce allergens that can cause reactions such as sneezing, runny noses, even asthma attacks in those allergic to it. It can even cause irritation to the nose, throat, lungs, and eyes to those who are not allergic. Certain molds can also release toxins (mycotoxins) that cause more serious problems. According to the Mold Help Organization, exposure to these mycotoxins could cause people “to suffer from a myriad of serious symptoms and illnesses such as chronic bronchitis, learning disabilities, mental deficiencies, heart problems, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple chemical sensitivity, bleeding lungs and much more” (http://www.mold-help.org/content/view/478/).

Because many people are not as aware or concerned about the health threats of mold, it is also important to consider the damage it can cause to property. Everyone tends to pay more attention to a problem when it affects the wallet. A home or business is the largest investment most people have. A colony or colonies of mold can cause severe devastation. According to the EPA website, “If you already have a mold problem – act quickly. Mold damages what it grows on. The longer it grows, the more damage it can cause” (http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcleanup.html).

Mold can cause structural damage to a building, because it feeds on and breaks down the organic matter (wood, mostly) within the structure. When mold grows in the walls, on insulation, or under carpeting, these items must be removed from the building. In addition to the damage caused to the building, mold may destroy personal items in the home. It can attach to personal property which may be very difficult or impossible to clean. Often the item will have to be destroyed because the mold cannot be completely removed.

WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE MOLD?

For the most part, since mold is everywhere, it is impossible to completely avoid all indoor molds. The key to preventing mold is to control the moisture levels indoors. The EPA website states, “If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don’t fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back” (http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldbasics.html).

For small areas, usually a moldy section of 9 to 10 square feet, the home or business owner can usually clean up the mold themselves. For larger areas, it is important to hire a professional mold removal contractor to make sure the problem is taken care of safely.

If you have a small patch of black, green or gray colored spots, Frank Foreman, of NO ODOR, Inc., has a smart tip to determine whether or not it is mold: put some hydrogen peroxide on the growth and watch the reaction. Almost everyone has one of those brown bottles of the 3% hydrogen peroxide solution in their medicine cabinet, so he suggests putting it in a clean spray bottle and spraying the colored spots. If the solution runs down the wall and there is no reaction, then the spots are not growths of mold (it could possibly just be dirt.) Since mold is a living organism, when sprayed with the hydrogen peroxide, there will be an oxidation process. If you hit it and the growth starts to foam up with white foam, then you know you are dealing with mold.

For small amounts of mold, many sources recommend using a combination of water and detergent to clean the moldy surfaces. However, Frank Foreman recommends using only products that are approved by the EPA to kill mold. He further states that care and precaution need to be taken when doing the cleanup by an individual. “Mold is a living organism and it can travel easily when disturbed. Someone may wash away half of the mold and the other half might release mold spores that can escape to another source of moisture in the home. Or worse, into the A/C or heating system which can spread mold spores to every room in the house,” claims Foreman.

Foreman also suggests that someone with a mold problem should really educate themselves before hiring a professional to remove toxic mold. “The mold removal industry is completely unregulated. There are no federal, state, or local regulations that govern mold removal professionals.” This means, according to Foreman, with no standards, there is no way to prove the job was done or that it is done right. “Only seventy to eighty percent of all mold removal jobs are done right, which means the property owner is going to have residual problems.”

He says that it is important to shop around, to get references, and to scan the Internet to learn as much as possible about toxic mold and mold removal. “Education is the key. Learn the basics so you can talk to the remediation expert and you’ll have a good idea if he or she really knows what they’re doing.”

Mold removal methods vary from company to company. But the process can be complicated and expensive. For example, if a 10′ x 10′ bedroom has two walls infested with mold, it may be necessary to seal off that portion of the house, remove all wall boards until there are no more visible signs of mold growth. Next, the remediation pro will have to hand sand away the mold. Then, a mold killing detergent will be washed over the surface. The exposed area will then be HEPA vacuumed to remove remnant spores. After the area is tested to make sure there is no more mold, new walls will have to be built back up and painted. As you can see, the process can be time consuming and very expensive. However, to save on excessive destruction, some professionals have been employing fiber optic technology to view within the walls or ceilings, looking for mold growth, before tearing down all the drywall.

If you have had a flooding problem or a major water leak, it is also important to contact your insurance company. Many do not know that insurance may cover the mold removal as well. However, most insurance companies are starting to put limits on mold removal coverage (sometimes keeping caps at $5000 to $10,000.) While it may sound like a lot of money, the insurance company will be giving you money to fix the damage and remove the mold. The mold removal process may cost more than repairing the damage caused by the water. For example, if the roof of a house comes off during a storm and causes water damage to the house, the insurance company may give a lump sum to cover the repairs to the roof, the damage inside, and the mold problem. By accepting their lump sum, you have to pay to replace the roof and damage from water but the money also has to cover the costs to remove the mold that may come days, weeks, or months later.

HOW CAN I PREVENT MOLD FROM COMING BACK?

Once you have removed the entire mold infestation from your property, it is still important to control moisture levels in the structure.

If there is any kind of flooding, it is imperative you remove the water within 24 to 48 hours.

Whenever possible, move wet items to a dry, well-ventilated place or outside to speed up the drying process. Remove drywall up to the height of the water level. Remove carpeting as soon as possible.

Keep the indoor humidity low. If possible, keep below 60 percent relative humidity.

If condensation or moisture collects on windows, walls or water pipes, dry the wet surface and reduce the moisture. Condensation can be a sign of high humidity.

Keep gutters clean and make sure water drains away from the building to prevent it from collecting around the foundation.

Run or install venting fans in high moisture areas, like the bathroom.

Run a dehumidifier in moist areas, such as a basement or bathroom.

Ventilating areas can help reduce moisture, as well as keeping the temperature up or the air conditioner on. However, aim the air conditioning vents away from the condensing surfaces to prevent cold spots where moisture condensation can occur.

Adding thermal insulation to walls, ceilings, and pipes can help, too (in fact, rust spots on any water pipes could be an indication there is too much moisture in a room. Adding insulation to the pipes is a good idea.)

Mold can be a very serious problem in homes and businesses and it is important to take care of the problem as soon as possible. The consequences to health and property can be severe. While remediation of mold can be expensive, the damage mold can cause could be even worse. Frank Foreman has seen many cases where it is actually cheaper for the homeowner to knock down and rebuild an entire house rather than remove the existing mold infestation.

Keep in mind some of the potential signs that mold may be growing within a property:

Unexplained discoloration on a surface

Musty or earthy odor

Dark spots on or around vents

Water stains anywhere

Peeling or curling of floors or wallpaper

Do your homework and hire a professional to handle even moderate mold problems as soon as possible. If one is not sure where to look for a mold removal and remediation specialist, there are services that can help everyone find a local professional. One example would be the service provided by ConstructionDeal.com – they have a network of pre-screened mold removal companies and one can register any mold problem for free. Simply visit www.constructiondeal.com and they can help anyone find a local mold removal specialist today. Whenever a home or business owner believes there are signs of mold growth within their property, he or she should contact a professional as soon as possible to avoid future problems or costs. Attack those “Killer Mold Spores” before your own personal home invasion gets any worse.

http://www.constructiondeal.com/pub/customer/article/MoldInvasion.pub

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Edible mushrooms are rare but once you taste it you won’t forget its unique flavour. Delectable mushrooms that can be included on your daily food recipes as an additional spice.

Many animals and humans also eat the fruit of the mushroom body. There are greater than two thousand types of mushrooms but only 2.5 to 5 % are edible. The rest are highly infectious and can even mimic the ones that are fit for human consumption.

The toxins in this fungus can be fatal and can kill a person immediately. Some toxins need time to actually accumulate in the body. Once you exceed the particular amount of tolerable toxins, you won’t be able to adapt to that poisonous substance and may lead to fatality or even death. This basically gives you the idea that hunting mushrooms is a big deal and appropriate knowledge about this species should be understood before you even try the ones you can see in your garden.

There are a lot of cultivated mushrooms today. The most common ones are what they call Domestic Field Mushroom or White Button Mushroom. This type has a bland flavour but manages to retain the flavour of a typical mushroom.

Moreover, there are mushrooms that are very expensive. A good example would be the Perigord Truffles, which are not in cultivation for hundreds of years now but were mastered in France just seven years ago. They cost around $1,000 to $1,500 per pound. Aside From France, they also grow in North Carolina.

This extravagant price for this mushroom is due to its diminishing production worldwide. Over the last two centuries, little supply of this type of mushroom has been cultivated. It began with only 1,500 to 2,000 tons. It later on became an estimated 120 tons annually. An existing rationale with regards to the price and rarity of this type of mushroom is because of the secrecy of how these Truffles are being domesticated, along with the hunting techniques for this type.

Furthermore, Genus Cantharellus or mushrooms contain many species. The most famous of all is the Cantharellus Cibarius. This is what they also call the Golden Chanterelle. It is yellow or orange in colour. It is also meaty and funnel-shaped, along with forking gills on the underside. It even has a fruity smell and a mild peppery taste.

This can be found in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. Furthermore, it is very challenging to cultivate this type of mushroom because of its symbiotic relationship with plants. The European variant is called Girolle, which has a thicker stalk and powerful flavour. They go well with eggs, curry, chicken, fish, veal, pork and beef.

They can also be set as stewed, marinated, sautéed in olive oil, used as fillings in crepes and can be served as an additional topping on pizzas. However, in European cuisine, it is often served with Venison. A highly noted caution with regards to this genus is the one called Jack-O-Lantern or Omphalotus Olearius. This type of mushroom can mimic the Chanterelle. It has the capability to make a person really sick.

Blewit refers to two species that are edible in the genus Clitocybe. This would include the Wood Blewit or Clitocybe Nuda and the Field Blewit or the Clitocybe Saeva. Both are known to cause allergic reactions especially when eaten raw, though this reaction can still be seen even if they are well cooked.

These mushrooms also contain Trehalose, which is a form or variant of sugar that is delectable for most people. Thus, the Wood Blewit can range from lilac to purple-pink in colour.

The old ones are darker and possess a flatter cap. This is while the younger ones have lighter colours and possess more convex caps. It also has a distinct odour, which is likened to that of a frozen orange juice.

This mushroom has been cultivated in Britain, Holland and France. However, these Wood Blewits can be mistaken as the purple Cortinarius variety of mushroom, in which many are considered to be poisonous. We can only distinguish this because of their odour and their spore prints.

Wood Blewits possess white up to a pale pink type of spore prints, while the Cortinarius species somehow produces a kind of rusty brown type of spore print after many hours on actual white paper. The Field Blewit is commonly found in the open plains. It prefers to grow in grasslands and dirt areas across Europe. It also has a convex cap, which is light cream to brown with smooth texture. It is also called Blue Leg because it has a light purple-blue colour on its ring-less stem. Thus, these Field Blewits are often infested with fly larvae, especially if it is not stored well. It is advisable to consume this species at once or it needs to be used soon after it is picked.

Mushrooms are essential in ancient China because of its medicinal claims for centuries. They are said to contain vitamins B, C and D. They are also well known in their ability to lower ones blood pressure and cholesterol. A cancer facility even recommended that it could prevent certain types of cancer.

Certain kinds of mushrooms do have their uses and some are really dangerous. It is important that you know what type of mushroom you are picking or buying. This way, you are sure that it is edible and you can prepare it as a tasty meal.

To eat them, cleaning it is the first important thing to do. A little brushing won’t hurt as well. It can also be the best method to remove all the dirt because they can soak up water. This can dilute their flavour.

Then, the mushroom/s should be chopped and checked for unwanted foreign materials. Mushrooms are proven to be great spices that can add some aroma to your savoury dish. They are also regarded by chefs as great flavouring agents that can transform water into mushroom stock, simply by soaking them in it even for a while. Thus, you can experiment for other delicacies that would go very well with mushrooms and even invent a whole new taste of mushrooms you and your family will enjoy.

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This video shows me, an unskilled male, preparing a soil preparation for a ‘fire morel’ mushroom spore kit. I mix the ingredients, include burn wood and ash, and spread it at the mushroom bed site. The mushroom spore kit is from a supplier in Western Washington. See more at my website, mymorels.com. You will not see any morel mushrooms yet because the bed and spore kit is in its infancy.
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For a good spore vendor, visit www.thehawkseye.com The easiest way to grow mushrooms is detailed in this heavily influential guide – http Please sub our stupid sitcom at www.youtube.com
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Growing mushrooms from home is a great hobby for both food, fun and profit. You will need some special equipment for following the Agar procedures. Mushroom cultivation can be done without this step but it is great for the enthusiast who wants to clone mushrooms and isolate substrains from fruiting mushrooms to store in their personal culture libraries.

Agar Culture:

Agar is a polysaccharide derived from marine red algae. Agar is unique because it has the ability to remain liquid until cooling below 36 degrees C. The advantage here is that nutrients and other growth media can be mixed together before the Agar solidifies. The agar will remain solid at room temperature. Once the solution is mixed together it can be poured into individual Petri dishes for use in inoculating with one of the following: mushroom spores, a liquid culture, an agar wedge from a colonized Petri dish or live tissue from the mushroom itself. Using live tissue is a method for cloning a desired species and capturing its unique characteristics.

There are 5 different types of media and their name refers to their functionality.

•??General Purpose Medium: This is designed to grow a broad spectrum of microorganisms. Nutrient Agar is a general purpose media.

•??Enriched Medium: This media is enriched with some kind of special growth factor such as blood, serum, hemoglobin etc.

•??Selective Medium: This contains a chemical that inhibits the growth of certain organisms while promoting the growth of others.

•??Differential Medium: This can grow several types of microorganisms, but can distinguish among them due to different appearances on the medium; color of the colonies or color of the medium where the organisms are growing.

•??Fermentation Medium: This determines whether a microorganism can ferment a particular carbohydrate. Fermentation is an anaerobic process that often generates acids. If the carbohydrate is fermented, acid is produced, and this can be detected by a PH indicator dye.

For our purposes in growing mushrooms we will be using a Selective Medium. We will be adding various nutrients, minerals, etc. to promote the growth of our mycelium. We can even add antibiotics to hinder the growth of some bacteria.

There are many Agar recipes that can be used but two of the most common are Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA).

Follow the links for product info.

Malt Extract Agar (MEA)

10 grams light malt extract

9 grams agar agar

500 ml potable or distilled water

Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA)

Broth from boiling 150 grams sliced potatoes

in 500ml water for 30 minutes(add water to 500ml)

9 g agar agar

7 grams dextrose

1 gram brewers yeast or yeast-extract (optional)

Amaranth Soy Agar

20 grams amaranth flour

20 grams soy flour

9 grams agar agar

500 ml potable or distilled water

Cornmeal Dextrose Agar

25 grams yellow cornmeal

3 grams dextrose

9 grams agar agar

500 ml potable or distilled water

Dog Food Agar DFA

20 grams dry dog food

20 grams agar agar

1000 ml distilled water

One thing to note when preparing Agar recipes is that it is definitely a circumstance when less is more. If too many nutrients are added to the Agar it becomes hypertonic. What this means is there will be a higher concentration of particles in the nutrient solution than there are in the dividing cells of our mycelium. Nature prefers balance. When mycelium is placed into this hypertonic solution, equilibrium will try to assert itself. Because the cell membranes of the mycelium are selectively permeable; only allowing certain things across the membrane. The water inside the cell will cross the membrane by osmosis to the outside and the cells will dehydrate; halting growth. This is why sugar, an energy source for bacteria, can be used as a preservative in jams and jellies. The jam becomes hypertonic and inhibits growth.

When preparing Agar recipes, you will need a container to sterilize the mixture in. A quart size jar works perfectly for this. Drill a 3/8” inch hole in the metal lid and fit the inside with a tyvek filter disc. Mix the contents thoroughly inside the quart jar. Place the lid loosely on the jar and load into your pressure cooker (optional: you can preheat your water to boiling before adding the quart jar. This will prevent caramelization of the ingredients). Fill the pressure cooker with water until an approximately 1 “ water level is on the side of the jar. Sterilize the jar for 30-40 minutes at 15 p.s.i

After the sterilization time, allow the cooker to cool to zero pressure before attempting to open. The pressure cooker should be opened in front of a flowhood or a sterile glovebox should be used when pouring agar plates. Each recipe above will fill 20 agar plates.

When the jar is cool to touch but the contents are still liquefied, pour enough MEA or PDA to fill the bottom of the Petri dish. The longer the lids are left open to the air the greater the chance for airborne contaminates to enter the culture medium. Allow the agar plates to cool to room temperature and solidify. Optional: You may seal the edges with parafilm to help stave off bacteria contaminations.

When inoculating agar plates, again, it’s important to use a sterile glovebox or flowhood to decrease the chances of contamination. Each agar plate can be inoculated with agar wedges from a colonized plate, spores from a mature mushroom or a prepared liquid culture.

If you have purchase our pre-sterilized medium please follow these directions for reheating it.

Directions for Using our Agar Culture Medium.

Place your quart jar in a pot of water and fill the pot with water until it covers half of the quart jar.

Leave the lid in place to prevent contaminates from entering. Raise the water temperature to boiling in order to liquify the medium. Agar will remain liquid until it falls below 96.8 degree F.

When the Medium has liquified it can be poured into waiting agar plates. It is important to pour your agar plates under sterile conditions. We highly recommend using a Flowhood but a glovebox might work. We make no guarantees if a Flowhood is not used. Bacteria is present everywhere including the air. It only takes a few particles to land on your medium to contaminate it. When the agar has solidified again you can seal the edges of the agar plates with parafilm or other sealing device.

Feel free to use this article for your website but please leave the document intact, including the link section. If you use our article, send us an email with a link to your site. We might just add your site to our links page

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