So, any food allowed to stand in the open soon becomes contaminated with mold if adequate moisture is present. Some types of molds are also psychrophiles and can cause spoilage of refrigerated foods. Molds are important to the food industry. Among their many contributions are the flavor and color they add to cheeses and the making of soy sauce. They also play a role in the making of such chemicals as citric and lactic acid and many enzymes.
Molds can also cause problems in foods.
Certain kinds can produce poisons called mycotoxins. Mycotoxins have only recently been discovered and little is known about what causes molds to produce them. Probably the best known use of molds is in the drug industry, where they help produce such antibiotics as penicillin. If you would like to know more about this field, we recommend one or more of the following books. Two of them deal directly with the role microbiology plays in the food we eat.