Can You Use Pizza Sauce With Mold?

Do you have some leftover pizza sauce in your fridge that got a little moldy?

Can you use pizza sauce with mold?

No. You should not eat the moldy pizza sauce as it is likely to have bacteria in it, which could make you very sick. You should definitely throw it out.

Contents

What Is Mold?

Mold is a form of fungus that grows on bread and bread products, including pizza. Molds grow very quickly, and can spread quickly in moist environments, such as in a fridge. Mold typically grows in areas that do not get enough air circulation.

What Does Mold In Tomato Sauce Look Like?

Moldy pizza sauce looks like clumps of fuzzy, white or green spots. Mold can also appear as rubbery, soft, cotton-like strands. The moldy spots can be very small, or they may grow in large, obvious clumps. You may also see a fuzzy white substance on the inside of the jar. If you notice this, do NOT taste test it!

What about mold on frozen pizza?  Look here.

Can You Scrape Mold Off Tomato Sauce?

No, it is not possible to remove all mold from tomato sauce. You should throw out any sauce that has mold on it, however small the amount.

Can You Cook Mold Out Of Sauce?

You cannot cook the mold out of the sauce. The mold will simply grow back if you try to do so. You should throw out any tomato sauce that has mold on it, however small the amount.

What Happens If You Eat Moldy Pizza Sauce?

You may get sick. One in 10 people who eat moldy food will get sick, and some of them will get very sick.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that eating moldy food “can lead to food poisoning and cause nausea, cramps, diarrhea or vomiting.” The CDC also says that eating moldy foods such as pizza sauce can “cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. Some people who eat moldy foods get long-term illnesses, such as lung problems, nasal infections or stomach ulcers.”

How To Tell If Pizza Sauce Is Bad

You will definitely see some mold on the sauce. Some people describe mold on food as seeing 3 or more mold colonies. You can also look for slimy or tacky spots, which is another sign of mold. Another way to tell if your pizza sauce has gone bad is to smell it. If it smells bad, it’s spoiled and should be thrown out.  The same goes for if a pizza has been sitting out too long.

How To Tell If Pizza Sauce Is Moldy

You will see mold on some areas of the sauce. It will be green or white in color, and you should definitely throw it out.

How Do You Keep Tomato Sauce From Molding?

Don’t leave it out for long periods of time. If you are not going to use it right away, freeze it immediately. Freeze the sauce in an airtight container or freezer bag. You should store frozen sauce for no more than 3 months, but keep in mind that this will vary depending on the type of tomato sauce you are storing and where you store it. If the sauce stays out, it will start to develop mold.

You should always be very careful not to cross-contaminate, as mold can grow on other foods as well as your food. Clean and sanitize all surfaces that come in contact with your food before you prepare it. If you do see mold develop on some of your food, throw it out immediately and wash all of your mixing equipment with hot soapy water to remove the mold from them as well.

When To Throw Out Moldy Sauce

Throwing out all moldy food is always the safest way to go. You should throw out any sauce that has mold on it, however small the amount. After all, you don’t know how much contamination there is in your sauce. It could be completely contaminated, or it could be just a small amount of mold.

Also look – Can you get Salmonella from raw pizza dough?

Conclusion

Do you have some leftover pizza sauce in your fridge that got a little moldy? The answer is no. You should not eat the moldy pizza sauce as it is likely to have bacteria in it, which could make you very sick. The best thing to do is to throw out the remaining sauce and get rid of it immediately.