Surface Mould
Also known as Molds, Yeast, Yeasts
The white bloom of noble moulds, chiefly Penicillium, encouraged on many dry sausages and hams. It shields against light and rancidity, steadies drying and adds flavour, and is distinct from unwanted moulds.
On a long cure the surface will be colonised; the only question is by what. The air of every curing space carries mould spores, and a damp protein surface is an open invitation. The curesmith's move is to decide the winner in advance by planting it, an even coat of a noble mould claiming the territory before anything wild can.
The noble strain is Penicillium nalgiovense, the even, white, powdery bloom on a classic salame, and it earns its keep four ways. It shades the fat from light and oxygen, slowing rancidity. It steadies the surface, taking up and releasing moisture so the piece dries more evenly and case-hardens less readily. It holds the ground, denying food and space to wild moulds. And as it matures it works gently on the surface proteins and fats, adding the faint mushroom note of a well-aged casing. Application is simple: a commercial culture stirred into water, and the product dipped or sprayed at hanging.
Wild moulds are a different population. Many of the dry greens and blue-greens are near relatives and mostly harmless in passing, but the browns, the blacks and anything wet, furred or tall-standing are unwelcome, and some wild moulds produce mycotoxins that migrate into the meat below the surface. Colour is a rough guide rather than a verdict; habit is the better one. A dry powder that wipes away to nothing is one thing. A dense furred colony is another.
The response depends on timing. Early, scattered wild spots are wiped with a cloth wrung out in vinegar or strong brine, the humidity and airflow are corrected, and the piece is watched. An established colony, especially black and furred, is not a wiping matter. The visible growth comes off; whatever it has already sent below stays, and the piece becomes a judgement about discarding rather than a cleaning job.
Keeping the bloom in order is mostly keeping the room in order. Excess mould of any kind, including the noble coat thickening into felt, is the chamber saying its humidity is too high or its air too still. The mould is the gauge as much as the coat.
Temple element. Pillar, Mould Control