What should I do if the angelica is moldy?

Nowadays, people pay more attention to health preservation, and often have some Chinese medicinal materials such as angelica and deer antlers at home. However, sometimes they may become moldy and hairy due to improper storage. So what should we do if the angelica is moldy? Can it still be eaten? This should be a concern for most people. After all, it would be a pity to throw away the angelica if it is moldy, but if you don't throw it away, you may worry that it will be unsafe to eat and may cause other problems. So what should we do with moldy angelica?

Chinese medicinal materials such as angelica should be stored with care, because when their water content exceeds 15%, they are prone to deterioration due to insect infestation, mildew, etc. Therefore, for medicinal materials with high water content, we need to use the power of high temperature, sun, wind, lime desiccant, etc. Use methods such as sun drying, air drying, baking, microwave, and far-infrared irradiation to reduce the moisture content to below 15%.

At present, the most common method to reduce the water content of Chinese medicinal materials is to spread the materials on a mat and place them in the sun. If conditions permit, you can use a rack to lift the straw mat. For some medicinal materials that contain more water or starch, such as Fritillaria, lily, and Corydalis, they should be boiled or steamed in boiling water first. Then dry in the sun. Some medicinal materials cannot withstand long-term exposure to the sun, such as ephedra. The content of active ingredients will decrease after long-term exposure to the sun. They should be placed in a ventilated room or under a shaded shed to dry. In addition, some high-priced medicinal materials, such as ginseng and tiger bones, are prone to insects and mold. They should be stored in a sealed container and kept dry with lime. It is worth noting that the medicinal materials must be fully dispersed before drying. Make it dry evenly to avoid excessive moisture content and mildew. At the same time, in order to maintain the purity of the medicinal materials, the drying room should be clean and ventilated, and the drying equipment should be clean and pollution-free. These Chinese herbs should be taken out to dry frequently. If they are moldy, take them out to dry. If they are fine, you can eat them. But if they are too moldy, it is best not to eat them.

After reading the above little science popularization, you can know that if the angelica is moldy, it is best not to eat it to avoid adverse reactions. With the above suggestions, next time if you encounter the problem of angelica moldy, you don’t have to panic, and you don’t have to worry about what to do if angelica moldy. So if there is a similar situation at home, it must be handled properly.