You never know how bad it is until you crack the bud. If it’s just a few spots on a few buds just toss those individual buds. If it’s in a lot of buds but not awful, get rid of what you can and make oil/edibles with the rest.
If it’s just bad all throughout most of your crop toss it and try something more resistant next time.
Really depends on how bad it is.
That being said, to me, that doesn’t look bad at all. Just trim away the problem areas and you’ll be fine. That seems like less in the bud than just a little too moist while jarring. If so, you’re on the right track. The longer and slower the dry, the better. I jar my buds when they are just barely too dry to mold, ready a week later. If they’re slightly too moist, just leave the lids off the jars overnight.
Moldy cannabis should not be used in a way. If it’s on a few buds in a jar, then it’s on everything in that jar… through and through.
Even if you have a strong immune system, you may be harmed by ingesting or smoking cannabis tainted with mold. Depending on the type, it could be life threatening.
There was a guy, here in California, that died from using moldy weed a few years ago. He had a compromised immune system due to cancer and caught a lethal pathogen by way of using weed with mold on it. Lung infections are common with smoking moldy cannabis… and may lead to other health problems.
Bud rot isn’t what I saw in your pictures, it was advanced mildew. Not as bad but still undesirable. Best course of action imo is an alcohol based extract.
Everclear soak fer a week, cheesecloth to strain, 1 shot too a can of 7-up and a dollop of honey. Delicious.
ISO, soak fer a week, strain, pour into a pyrex baking dish and let evaporate. Old school hash oil.
If the mould isn’t visibly growing then all that would be on the other buds is maybe some spores of that mould. These spores are literally everywhere and you’re breathing them all the time, that’s how they get on the plants in the first place.
The safety depends on the mold species. If the mold is growing post harvest, it isn’t powdery mildew. The best way to ID it is to let it sporulate and scope the conidiophores and conidia.
Botrytis cinerea (grey mold, though looks white at first) and Erysiphales (powdery mildews) don’t cause human disease and are not known to produce toxins, though people may have allergic reactions.
Some Aspergillus sp. are capable of causing human disease (Aspergillosis) and producing mycotoxins. Some Penicillium sp. also produces mycotoxins. Both start as white fluffy mycelium.
Thank you for posting the science side😁 yeah I have to be very careful with Koji fermentations for that very reason. While I need something to do while the plants are asleep I’ve been working on fermentations. Possibly also releasing a higher co2 concentration in the air even if mildly. Who knows it could be working towards reducing risk for mold later. Probably not, but I’m making that food for myself. If there’s a bonus to it cool
