Featured strange stain on magazine?

Hey guys! Don't know where else to ask this sort of thing, so bear with me. I collect Life magazines and I've noticed a couple ones that are a bit worse for wear that all have bright pink stains on them. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but the times I have gone through them without my glasses on have severely irritated my eyes and even inflamed my face some. The seller I buy my life magazines from buys them in bulk, so it could very well be something isolated to those copies. Does anyone know if this could be some kind of ink smearing or something like that? Thanks for your help!

 

I don't know why the pink stains appear but it's funny that this is on a Pepto-Bismol ad!

 

Man, there ain't no such thing as "Simple Diarrhea" - try eating a bad oyster - NOPE, not simple. I'm sure the "Pink" is there to make a statement.

 

I have an old book on philology I've never been able to finish because if I spend even a little time with it I develop a stuffy nose & irritated eyes. I have always put it down to some kind of mold. I see this has some brown foxing or other discoloration in addition to the pink. Do others from the problem batch have the same thing?

 

It is possible it is a harmless bacterium strain known as Streptoverticillum reticulum, usually as a result of moulding, or foxing of paper, depending on how it’s stored, particularly in moist conditions. It can occur on various surfaces, and usually leaves a distinctive pinkish colour. ❤️Maven

 

would be easier if it was an old Playboy...

 

I agree with Rayo, that stuff is not what you use in a real emergency like eating gluten by mistake. I know.
The pink looks to me like it is print bleed or done on purpose.

 

I have bought some that have no discoloration at all from the same vendor, but I have a few copies with the same discoloration issues. Oddly enough, I've found that the older copies I have of Life Magazine are less likely to have this issue; it's mainly the ones from the 50's and 60's that have this problem.

 

Haha! I would think so too if it weren't on multiple pages throughout multiple editions. It also causes the pages to stick together.

 

Yep. Some molds/mildews generate a pink color, in addition to the darker stains you can see at the bottom of the page. There may be some localized interaction with materials in the printed areas as well. The irritation would be caused by the mold spores. If you want to keep the magazine you can try exposing the pages to bright sunlight for a few days to kill the spores, and then brush them off. The stains will remain, however.

 

what's with putting them into a zip bag and then into the deep freezer ?

 

Freezing can be used to kill some types of insect infestations, but it is not a reliable way to kill mold. It just goes dormant.

 

I vote for Aureobasidium pullulans. This is a mold often found on wet surfaces such as toilet bowls, sinks, and humidifiers. It can also grow on organic materials such as plants and wood and paper. People often keep their old magazines in their damp basements. A. pullulans initially starts as cream and/or pink and is smooth, then turns black and even slightly fuzzy as the colony ages.
More info: Aureobasidium - Species, Allergy, Health effects, Treatment | Mold Busters (bustmold.com)

I don't believe it is Streptoverticillium reticulum because that bacteria's by-products are soluble in plasticizers. Therefore, pink staining caused by that bacteria is mostly found on vinyl, especially on boat cushions and seats.

 

@bluumz Great! At least we’ve narrowed down our cultures, bacterial that is! lol ❤️Maven