Can you still eat rehydrated cloud ear mushrooms (wood ear) if they've been soaked overnight?

Cloud ear refers to wood ear mushroom. Generally, if wood ear mushrooms have been soaked overnight and show no signs of spoilage or unusual odor, they are safe to eat; however, if spoilage or an abnormal smell is present, they should not be consumed. If discomfort occurs after eating wood ear mushrooms, medical attention should be sought immediately to prevent the condition from worsening. Detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Safe to eat

Wood ear mushrooms soaked overnight should be carefully examined for appearance and odor before consumption to ensure food safety and health. If there are no obvious signs of spoilage—such as discoloration, mold, or unpleasant odor—the mushrooms are generally safe to eat. The texture of soaked wood ears may become softer after soaking overnight, which is not necessarily a sign of spoilage but rather a normal change.

2. Not safe to eat

If the wood ear mushrooms show signs of spoilage, mold, or unusual odor after being soaked overnight, they should not be eaten. Such mushrooms may have been contaminated by bacteria or mold, producing harmful substances like mycotoxins, posing potential health risks and possibly leading to food poisoning or other adverse reactions.

In daily life, attention should be paid to food safety. Avoid consuming any wood ear mushrooms showing signs of spoilage to protect your health.