Name That Mold

October 2, 2005 4:12 PM

MoldFilter: Unbeknownst to me, my freezer has been leaking down the back of the fridge for some time and the resulting effluent has collected under my vegetable crisper.

As I was putting away the groceries this afternoon I noticed some droplets on the back wall of the fridge and removed the crisper drawer on a scene of madness. The recesses below the crisper were filled with water and had become a breeding ground for a sort of mold I've never seen. The question is whether anyone knows enough about mold to speculate what I've been culturing. It was a deep maroon or cranberry color, floated in discrete round gobs that looked like pancakes, and when I sopped it up with some towels it adhered readily and had the appearance of, if you'll forgive me, blood clots. I don't know why I'd like to know what it was, but I would.

posted by rebirtha to science & nature (3 comments total)

Can't help you, but I get this at the bottom of my fridge too, though I didn't realize it could be from the freezer leaking.
posted by schroedinger at 5:06 PM on October 2, 2005

Molds are really tough to ID...was in in the liquid or on the plastic in the drawer? Was it shiny?
posted by nekton at 5:20 PM on October 2, 2005

nekton: It was floating in the liquid and it was shiny. It didn't have any overpowering odor.

schroedinger, the only reason I guessed it was from the freezer leaking was that I traced the water up to a little port at the upper back of my fridge and noticed my freezer was on the lowest (warmest) setting. I turned down the temperature in the freezer, and that seems to have stopped the dripping.
posted by rebirtha at 5:58 PM on October 2, 2005