# How Does Mold Thrive on...Nothing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 9, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899 "2015-12-09T02:57:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899/1 "2015-12-09T02:57:22Z")

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We have a plastic jug of Crystal Lite, a sugar-free drink. Mold will form on the walls of the jug. How can mold survive off of nothing? Certainly, there is no sugar. Is the plastic better than we think? 😉 Any biologists out there care to explain?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899/2 "2015-12-09T03:10:23Z")

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You sure it isn’t algae, which is photosynthetic?

But, even if it isn’t, Crystal Lite has 5 calories, so there is certainly enough nutrition for mold.

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**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899/3 "2015-12-09T03:18:22Z")

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There’s also a good chance the walls of the jug aren’t perfectly clean. Remaining biologicals ( proteins, fats, etc.) or bacteria provide plenty of nutrients for mold growth.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899/4 "2015-12-09T04:23:37Z")

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> [@beowulff](#):
>
> But, even if it isn’t, Crystal Lite has 5 calories, so there is certainly enough nutrition for mold.

Crystal Lite doesn’t contain “nothing.” From [here:](http://blog.fooducate.com/2014/01/13/how-natural-is-crystal-light-powdered-beverage-mix/)

> [@](#):
>
> Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Maltodextrin, Aspartame, Magnesium Oxide, Contains Less than 2% of Natural Flavor, Acesulfame Potassium, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Color, Red 40.

Plenty there for a mold to live on.

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**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-mold-thrive-on-nothing/739899/5 "2015-12-09T09:46:55Z")

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> [@Jinx](#):
>
> We have a plastic jug of Crystal Lite, a sugar-free drink. Mold will form on the walls of the jug. How can mold survive off of nothing? Certainly, there is no sugar. Is the plastic better than we think? 😉 Any biologists out there care to explain?

I’m having slight difficulty parsing your description of the situation. Is this a jug you’re keeping around and have had forever, where mould will occasionally form? Is is open, sealed, refilled, what?