# Moldy wood chips



## LandToSea (Dec 21, 2017)

So I bought 10 lbs of coho salmon to make Disco's candied salmon recipe. I went through all of the prep, cold smoked using an A-maze-N and pellets. It spent the night in the fridge and I started the hot smoking process in my MES 30. I was using a bag of Pecan chips I had but have not used. I was coating with maple syrup and adding chips every 30m. At the 3rd cycle when I was adding chips I smelled mold. I never thought to check my chips for it since they are dry stored in the garage. Sure enough that is where the smell was coming from. They are bone dry but on some I can see little dots of white mold. Since the wood is burning I am assuming I just coated all 10lbs of salmon with mold spores? What I do not know is if this is a concern. I figured that I can take a torch and hit the other chips before adding them to char the outside and burn off the mold. Thoughts on this are appreciated.


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## SonnyE (Dec 21, 2017)

Damned if I'd know, LandToSea.
How about you nuke the chips before you use anymore of them. (Nuke = Microwave)
I'm afraid I might use them in the fireplace rather than around food.
I'm not paranoid. But I am ignorant at times. So I err on the side of caution.
Can you get a bag of something at Walmart? 
IE: I have most of a bag of Hickory pellets (20 pounds) I got at Wally World, and store in a plastic bucket with an air tight lid in my shop.
You could change fuel now.

Any mold is probably burned up during the process. But what about that nagging doubt as you bite into your fish?
The decision is, of course, yours.


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## SmokinAl (Dec 22, 2017)

PM 

 chef jimmyj
. He should be able to answer your question.
Al


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 22, 2017)

I've only heard not to use wood with mold on it. Not sure about chips that smell moldy.


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## chef jimmyj (Dec 22, 2017)

In general mold spores only affect folks that are sensitive. This includes people have a general allergic reaction to the mold, asthmatics and folks with weakened immune systems. There are some molds that produce Mycotoxin but the issue is usually eating moldy food like grains and bread. So, who are you feeding? Healthy adults will very likely have no issue eating meat smoked with moldy wood or moldy smelling wood. Personally, if I have other wood options, I would toss the questionable wood...JJ


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## LandToSea (Dec 22, 2017)

I just rolled with it since I couldn't get replacement chips while mid hot smoke. I have pretty high test results for reaction to most molds which I take daily sinus spray to control symptoms for. I ate a bunch and no reaction. Everyone else seems fine. I did torch the remaining batches of chips I added after those first two unknown moldy ones. Thanks for all of the input!


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