Corn Error

Factual Questions
1

I opened a carrier bag that had been lying around in my room since I went to the Carnival last week, and was surprised to find it contained a bright orange powder.

I thought “Yuk”, and spent a while trying to figure out what might have disintegrated to form such a substance. Then I remembered. I bought a corn on the cob from one of the stalls, ate it and (it being a crowded carnival) there weren’t any bins about so I put the cob in my carrier bag. Then I forgot about it, having covered it up with leaflets and a newspaper; and dumped it in my room when I got back. And today I found it.

Presumably it was some sort of mold, but typing stuff like ‘corn mold orange’ into Google did not provide a satisfactory explanation. Anybody know?

2

a packet of butter-flavored substitute?

3

Hmm, there probably was some butter on it that it was dipped in. Surely that can’t have made this much orange powder though?

4

I have had rice go moldy in the refigerator with a bright orange mold. Must be a related strain.

5

Are you saying that the corn cob disintegrated into a powder within a week?

I don’t believe that happened. I’ve seen corncobs last for much longer, and in environments much more suitable for disintegration than a backpack in a house.

6

Hmm, you didn’t mention the cob was completely gone. I wouldn’t think that could happen in a week. Any rats in your room?

7

Ants can reduce things to powder pretty damn quick (I know this from finding half-powdered cat puke).

8

The cob wasn’t completely gone (sorry, should’ve explained that). I should have taken a picture of it I guess but at the time I was more concerned about not breathing in any of the mystery orange stuff!

9

Sounds like you put a cotton candy cone in there. Was there a paper cone around somewhere?

10

No, I didn’t buy any cotton candy or anything like that (I think it’s called candy floss over here). I’m pretty sure I never put any other food leftovers in the carrier bag apart from the corn cob.