Over the past few years my son has really gotten into food preparation. He makes delicious sourdough bread, pasta, and fermented vegetables. But, every once in a while mold will form on the food - which means I get Foldscoping samples! Read on to find out what I saw under my Foldscope 2.0!
Figure 1. Picture of pieces of bread with mold
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
What Is Mold?
Mold, like yeast and mushrooms, are fungi. They grow in circular shaped colonies that tend to have a fuzzy appearance. Mold spores are commonly present in the air around us, but colony growth only happens when conditions are just right. The environment must be humid, warm, and have food for them to eat.
Figure 2. Pictures of fermented pepper mold viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 340X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone using the LED light module
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Structures of Mold
When mold spores land in an ideal spot for growth, they grow into hyphae. Hyphae are long, threadlike structures that spread out and absorb nutrients from organic material. Hyphae can form what are called foot cells which look like a letter T. These branches grow into stipes. Stipes are the branches that will eventually produce new spores.
Figure 3. Pictures of bread mold viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 340X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone using a lightbox for lighting
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
At the top of the stipe, a round vesicle begins to grow. The vesicle is where the conidia are produced. The conidia are the spores that will continue growing into new hyphae or get carried away by wind, water, or animals to form colonies in new locations. In the same way that pollen can be used to identify plants, the shape, color, and markings of spores can help identify the mold that produced them.
Figure 4. Picture of fermented pepper mold viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 340X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone using a lightbox for lighting
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Why Is Mold Important?
A crucial ecological role of mold is that of decomposer. Unlike plants, molds cannot photosynthesize and produce their own food, they have to eat for energy. And what they eat is dead organic matter. Scientists have also utilized molds to benefit people in a variety of ways. The most commonly mentioned beneficial mold is penicillium which is used to make the antibiotic penicillin. Other uses of molds include production of cheese and soy sauce and bioremediation efforts to break down toxic pollutants in the environment.
Figure 5. Picture of fermented pepper mold viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 140X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone (left) and 340X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone (right) (both images used the LED light module)
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
I love that with my Foldscope 2.0 I can clearly identify the different structures of mold. It does make me wonder if there is a limit to how many varieties of mold can grow on a single piece of food. Do the colonies mix or do they grow separately? It looks like I have some more Foldscoping to do to answer these questions.
Figure 6. Picture of fermented pepper mold viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 140X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone using an LED light module (left) and 340X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone using a lightbox for lighting (right)
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Have you looked at molds under a Foldscope 2.0? Use your Foldscope to dive into the microscopic world and find the beauty that is there waiting for you. Share your microscopic images and thoughts on the Microcosmos. Be sure to tag us on social media when you post the results of your explorations, creations, and discoveries! We love to see how Foldscopers around the world are using their Foldscopes in new and innovative ways!
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Sources:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/4014491/
https://rsscience.com/mold-biology-structure/
