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would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 13:26
by gingkoseto
I am curious to find out how people think of the fungal growth on Fu Zhuan brick. If someone passes you a cup of tea made from this Fu Zhuan with a lot of "golden flowers" (the fungus seen as yellow dots). What will your response be? :D

Image

Larger image here. That's about the best I could photo :oops:
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq70 ... /20101.jpg

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 15:28
by entropyembrace
ewwwwwwwwww :shock:

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 16:20
by mosshorn
If i found out I wouldn't get sick from it, sure why not. I actually thinking finding a hair in my shu is worse than this :oops:

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 17:38
by TIM

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 18:58
by Tobias
I think I'll pass.

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 19:03
by entropyembrace
looks like mold, I see definite colonies.

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 19:21
by gingkoseto
It's definitely not bloom. It's fungal growth. But maybe mold is not a proper word for it either. So let's just call it golden flower :D

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 17th, '10, 19:47
by TIM
gingkoseto wrote:
It's definitely not bloom. It's fungal growth. But maybe mold is not a proper word for it either. So let's just call it golden flower :D

If it's still growing... I'll certainly pass :shock:

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 12:07
by edkrueger
Oh, I am kicking my self for not buying something other than tea with bloom on it day before yesterday...

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 12:12
by edkrueger
Some species of yellow mold are toxic. Boiling water will probably kill the mold, but it DOES NOT make the toxic chemicals go away.

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 12:43
by gingkoseto
edkrueger wrote:Some species of yellow mold are toxic. Boiling water will probably kill the mold, but it DOES NOT make the toxic chemicals go away.
It's generally agreed among most, if not all, tea chemistry researchers that the "golden flowers" in Fu Zhuan brick are not toxic. I think that's what makes the question interesting :D But being non-toxic doesn't mean people should not dislike it. Besides it's not guaranteed nobody is allergic to it (although no such case recorded). There are people who are allergic to even white mushrooms.

If there are people who like food/drink with known toxic mold, I say they are really courageous :mrgreen:

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 13:11
by edkrueger
I didn't know that there was research done on the matter. A really large and varied sample size would be important here. The yellow mold on one cake stored in one way in one place might not the same as the yellow mold on another cake stored in a different way in a different place. As you say, allergies might also be a problem.

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 13:16
by edkrueger
It appears there are quite a few Aspergillus species which are toxic and allergenic and some of the nontoxic ones are allergenic.

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 14:57
by shah82

Re: would you like some golden flowers?

Posted: Dec 18th, '10, 16:09
by TIM
I think the best way to know the difference is to have both the Fu Zhuan brick samples (with/without Golden Flowers) tasting side by side. Dont you agree Gingkose?