Could I Have Prevented Mold from Forming?

[perdurabo]

We use Wood Alchohol to clean old moldy books, it's the preferred method along with the sun. Alcohol does kill mold. I wouldn't use it on tobacco, After the tobacco is molded. Throw that stuff out. Like I said, I use it to clean my hands. Keep you from transferring mold from your hands if you are afraid of that sort of thing.

 

[deathmetal]

I have a love seat made entirely of Dark Fired.

I am planning to construct an entire furniture set out of Royal Yacht.

 

[woodsroad]

As far as I know, alcohol does not kill mold spores.

 

[mso489]

Mold puts off spores that can land and grow on its chosen organic substances. Was the mold introduced by C&D or by you? There's no way to determine this. Once planted, it doesn't take long to sprout. On the other hand, I think spores have a long shelf life. C&D did the responsible thing, so all credit to them. I've had one incident where mold sprouted on some fairly new tobacco, about five years ago, and never before or since.
My one other mold-on-tobacco experience happened when I fell for the old suggestion to use apple slices to humidify a blend. My fault. Don't do it.

 

[deathmetal]

Interesting discussion on sterilization:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_to_kill_mold_and_mold_spores
I think woodsroad is correct that alcohol does not kill mold spores, unless you soak them in it for 30 minutes at high concentration. This leads us to the familiar place which is the recognition that there is no way to sterilize tobacco except for certain anti-fungal products (Tinactin, no doubt).
This stuff looks like it will be useful to have around, however:
http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/manufacturing_industry/commercial_care/node_PZ72T9JJ0Nbe/root_GS3RBW6QFVgv/vroot_BZRDH3QWKFge/gvel_FB9PWK55KZgl/theme_us_oc_commercialcare_3_0/command_OCHandler/output_html

 

[mawnansmiff]

"We use Wood Alchohol to clean old moldy books,"
Perdurabo, have you found anything that kills red rot on antique leather books?
Dan, in brewing, if left long enough, so much alcohol is created in the mash that it actually kills off the yeast that created it...and of course yeast = mould.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[deathmetal]

There are some sort of crucial differences between yeast and mould. Mould is multicellular and reproduces through spores. Yeast is monocellular and reproduces live only (to my knowledge). A monocellular organism can be more susceptible to things like alcohol, and the bigger question is what destroys the spores, because otherwise they will simply re-seed the colony.