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Tenn. town angry with Jack Daniels over ‘whiskey fungus'
Residents of Mulberry, a small town in Lincoln County, Tennessee, are fighting a black mold, scientifically named Baudoinia Compniacensis, also known as whiskey fungus, which is spreading across the town.
Residents of Mulberry, a small town in Lincoln County, Tennessee, are fighting a black mold, scientifically named Baudoinia Compniacensis, also known as whiskey fungus, which is spreading across the town.
It is thought that the black mold is a result of the combination of ethyl alcohol that evaporates during the whiskey distillation process and moisture in the air. This whiskey fungus can attach to various structures like trees, homes, and cars. As Jack Daniel’s operation is producing a higher amount of alcohol in the region, it is believed that the intensity of the fungus has increased.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Feeding on the ethanol fumes created by the whiskey, the fungus is thriving in the Tennessee county of Lincoln, where it's been coating everything from homes and cars to road signs and trees. One resident is suing the county. <a href="https://t.co/MyquWuEID5">pic.twitter.com/MyquWuEID5</a></p>— IGN (@IGN) <a href="https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1632614757831176193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Whiskey fungus does not have any recognized health risks, but its effect on human health is not easy to establish due to the limited number of scientific studies. Although no clinical research has been conducted on the organism, inhaling the alcohol vapors produced during the whiskey-making process can lead to respiratory problems, such as damaged airways, aggravated asthma, and chronic bronchitis. This has raised concerns about the quality of air in the surrounding area. The Jack Daniel’s facility in Moore County is the state’s largest emitter of volatile organic compounds, with one location alone generating over 9,000 tons of VOCs in 2017.
Residents are fighting the fungal spread in court, with many fearing for their property value, plant life, and personal health and well-being. A recent court hearing ordered that no additional barrels of whiskey could be placed in the facilities in Lincoln County until the company obtained the necessary approvals and permits. The residents want the barrels in storage at some of the facilities to be removed if approvals and permits have not been obtained by the next hearing in June.
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Patrick and Christi Long, owners of an event venue in Mulberry, have been watching trees die due to the black mold. They are concerned about the visual blight affecting their mental health and want the fungus to be removed from the area. Other residents are also expressing concerns about their property value and how this will impact their livelihood.
Whiskey fungus has been around for a long time, and in the past, agents would track down moonshiners by searching for the fungus in the woods. However, with the recent increase in alcohol consumption, it is believed that the fungus’s intensity has increased, causing concerns for residents. It remains unclear what impact the fungus will have on the area’s residents and whether it will cause long-term health issues.
