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Name: Cassie
Status: Student
Grade:  9-12
Location: NY
Country: New Zealand
Date: Spring 2010
Question:
If penicillin comes from a fungus (mold) could you eat moldy bread as a cure for a bacterial infection ?


Replies:
Hi Cassie,

First, not all fungus makes penicillin, and some fungus makes substances that are bad for you. So I would advise against eating an unknown fungus.

Second, the amount of antibiotic that a fungus might make is very low. The antibiotic must be collected and purified to have a therapeutic effect. Eating raw fungus would not provide a high enough dose to mimic taking antibiotic pills.

So in summary, no, eating fungus is not a good cure for an infection.

Hope this helps,
Burr


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