Mold Vs Mildew

Most of us are aware of the green film which develops on stale and degenerated food. It is nothing but mold at work. Similarly, mildew, a kind of fungus, targets the surfaces like leather, paper and places where the moisture content is very high. It is mostly also called powdery mildew. But apart from this, there are many characteristics to these two, which make them similar as well as which distinguish them. Before we go to the discussion of mold vs mildew, lets have a look at what mold and mildew primarily are.

Mold

Black Mold, basically, a type of fungus, which grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. These are from the kingdom of microscopic fungi. The tubular, branching hyphae has multiple, identical nuclei and has a connected network. It is considered to be a single organism. Now, molds cannot be found in a specific taxonomic or phylogenetic grouping. However, it could be found in the divisions Zygomycota, Deuteromycota and Ascomycota. Most of us know the characteristic of mold causing food spoilage, but there are molds which play an important role in bio degradation or for producing various foodstuffs, beverages, enzymes and antibiotics. Molds derive energy not from photosynthesis, but from the organism they dwell in. And interestingly, molds may also give away mycotoxins, which in tandem with hydrolytic enzymes disrupt and prevent the growth of competing micro organisms. Black mold in the bathroom is a very common occurrence.

Uses
Medicinal uses of mold involve its role as a constituent in penicillin, in cholesterol lowering drugs like Lovastatin (derived from mold) and in cyclosprine, (again derived from type of mold) which is an immuno suppressant drug, used to suppress rejection of an organ which is transplanted. Then a few other types of mold contribute to the production of gluconic acid and citric acid. This particular mold is called Aspergillus Niger.

Types
A few common types of molds are Acremonium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium and Trichoderma.

Mildew

In old English, this was referred to as, rather it meant honeydew. Later on it came to be known mildew in its contemporary sense. Primarily mildew is also a type of fungus - a type of mold and scientifically it is called powdery mildew. Mildew has a flat growth pattern and mostly thrives on surfaces, where the moisture content is very high. Window sills, paper, leather, ceilings, walls and floors of home with moisture management glitches are more prone to mildew. Most species of mildew are particular to a narrow host range. Moreover, most of them are obligate parasites of flowering plants. Dowry mildew is another plant associated mildew. There are also a few species of mildew, which can thrive in conditions which are non airy. Dowry mildew appears as yellow spots on leaves or fruits. It grows on a single cell or spore.

Now that both mold and mildew have been explained, lets take a look at mold vs mildew.

Comparing Mold and Mildew

• Primarily both of them are a kind of fungus.
• While mildew is powdery and targets plants, mold is typically black or green and attacks aging, stale or rotting foodstuffs. In fact, mildew is a type of mold.
• Mold and mildew both spread from spores.
• Mold survives on non-living materials - tile, plastic and the likes. On the other hand, mildew thrives on products made out of animals and plants and is prevalent in tropical regions. It can be disastrous for crops.
• Both of them however, love moisture and cannot resist surfaces where there is moisture.
• Mildew causes can destroy books and clothes, whereas even if mold has both ill effects, it has scientific and culinary uses as well.
• Molds also help in fertilization of soil by breaking up waste and dead matter. Molds or rather a few types of fungus play a significant role in production of a few medicines. On the contrary, mildew does not have any such use.
• Mildew and mold can aggravate problems like asthma and allergy, but mold typically causes weariness.
• Some molds could grow on plants, but mildew only grows on plants.
• Molds are used in the production of various foods, as mentioned, like cheese, bread, sausages, soya sauce, tempeh and a few other things. Mildew is not used for this purpose.

That was a close call between mold vs mildew. All said and done, both of them are unwanted things and need to be got rid of as soon as possible. Do not let these types of fungus infest your food or home! Keep the possibly fungus prone places dry, to ensure fungus free surfaces.

So that's it, I sign off here with the hope that the information proved to be useful to you!