Moldy black truffles-are they edible? Help! My friend brought me 3 Italian black truffles in brine (according to the label), packed by the producer in a glass jar. When I received them they weren't actually in liquid. I didn't realize they were supposed to be refrigerated. I left them in the cupboard for a few days and now I have discovered a gray, fuzzy mold growing on them with a bit of slime on the bottom of the jar. This is very sad. Can I rinse them off and still eat them? It would be such a shame to throw them away. Also, as a side question, I've never used truffles before-are they supposed to be hard? Or is this another sign that they're old and moldy and should be tossed in the compost? Thanks for your input.
From Google:


  While you probably won't die from eating fungus, keep in mind that foods that are moldy may also have invisible bacteria growing along with the mold. The colorful mold you see on the surface of food is just the tip of what is going on inside. Most molds are harmless, but some are dangerous. Some contain mycotoxins.


My suggestion is that unless you are trying to make penecillin, throw them away. The risk is not worth it. Italy is still there.