Questions:
I found black spots on the outside part of the neck of a plastic bottle of wine. They evolved over time into mushy, mold looking marks. I was told they were bacteria and so harmless. My questions are:
- What is the difference between bacteria and mold?
- Can bacteria actually grow into “beard-looking” stuff?
- Is it really safe?
Many thanks.
Answers:
- The main differences between molds, which are fungi, and bacteria are:
- Fungi have a proper nucleus in their cells and bacteria do not.
- Fungi are eukaryotes, that’s their DNA is enclosed in a nucleus which is separated from the cytoplasm by a nuclear membrane, bacteria are prokaryotes, that’s their DNA is not sepatated from the cytoplasm in a nucleus.
- Fungal cells are complex while bacterial cells are simple. Fungi have structures in their cells such as mitochondria which bacteria do not have.
- Bacteria mainly exist as single cells. However, a few are filamentous and therefore may grow into “beard-looking” stuff
- It’s not safe to drink or eat anything contaminated by microorganisms. While not all microorganisms are harmful, there very high chances that a harmful bacterium or fungus could be present.
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