Detecting pest infestation in stored foods.

[The Heretic]

Noticed signs of infestation in some bulk ground wheat (bulgur I think).

There were bits of the wheat hanging by web strands at the top of the container. This happens when some pest has infested food like this, I assume it is making cocoons? Meal Moths?

Whatever it is, it is in this food - about 5 pounds of bulgur.

I assume this was bulk I bought as it is not in the original packaging - yet another example of why I stopped buying bulk from bins at Winco.

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[Siglvr]

Noticed signs of infestation in some bulk ground wheat (bulgur I think).

There were bits of the wheat hanging by web strands at the top of the container. This happens when some pest has infested food like this, I assume it is making cocoons? Meal Moths?

Whatever it is, it is in this food - about 5 pounds of bulgur.

I assume this was bulk I bought as it is not in the original packaging - yet another example of why I stopped buying bulk from bins at Winco.

Couple days in the freezer and it's edible again.

 

[billdeserthills]

Couple days in the freezer and it's edible again.

Plus the protein count has gone up

 

[308]

If you put the food in sealed food grade buckets yourself, I would recommend adding a bit of the following product. It will take care of any pests lingering, not to mention it is really cool to say diatomaceous earth out loud with a bit of a British accent so as to sound really smart...at least that is what Mrs308 tells me.

BTW...you may be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. I bought a 20lb bag at Tractor Supply for my chickens. I put it in their scratch and also dust their pen with it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

The LDS storehouse has really good stuff and prices.
The wheat in steel cans will last about forever but you'll need a grinder..
Oh, I take that back, milled flour is offered in cans too.. be careful, they also have huge sacks.. giggity

Find a Home Storage Center

Find a Home Storage Center

providentliving.churchofjesuschrist.org

 

[Stomper]

The LDS storehouse has really good stuff and prices.
The wheat in steel cans will last about forever but you'll need a grinder..
Oh, I take that back, milled flour is offered in cans too.. be careful, they also have huge sacks.. giggity

Find a Home Storage Center

Find a Home Storage Center

providentliving.churchofjesuschrist.org

So it comes with floss, cool!

 

[The Heretic]

Couple days in the freezer and it's edible again.

Yeah well, if I was in a SHTF situation I would probably not have a problem with that, but I am not so it will get thrown out with the rest that I threw out. I learned my lesson about buying foodstuffs from the bulk bin; it isn't a good deal if it results in pests in the food. I also stopped buying canned goods until I have used most of what I already have.

If my plans work out, I will be buying a freeze drying unit and freeze dry food and storing that over time. Since I want a fruit orchard and other perennial food plants (berries/etc.) I will want a way of storing those crops long term too. For me, it isn't so much about the expense (although I want as much value as I can get), it is having the food stored long term such that if SHTF I have enough, even if the crops fail a year or two.

 

[308]

The LDS storehouse has really good stuff and prices.
The wheat in steel cans will last about forever but you'll need a grinder..
Oh, I take that back, milled flour is offered in cans too.. be careful, they also have huge sacks.. giggity

Find a Home Storage Center

Find a Home Storage Center

providentliving.churchofjesuschrist.org

Didn't click...

 

[billdeserthills]

I'm interested in this topic but I'm more worried about bugs in my jiffy muffin mix & my single serve oatmeal packets

 

[The Heretic]

I'm interested in this topic but I'm more worried about bugs in my jiffy muffin mix & my single serve oatmeal packets

I've not had problems with packaged items that I have not opened yet (including Jiffy cornbread mix), only those that I bought bulk and kept in my own containers - whether it was snacks or staples, and this was mostly from Costco.

I am going to open up a can of Nido soon - I've read it goes rancid quickly (around one year) and all of my Nido is well past the expire date - some is about 10 years old - but I do not expect pests and have not found any in packaged foods upon opening it.

 

[HB of CJ]

Common problem with WW bulk foods? We got moths from the bulk oatmeal. Had to gas the house. Yep! Consider the smaller 25-30 gal food quality heavy duty plastic barrels with the perimeter screw on lids with gaskets. Get a bottle of N2 or CO2 from your local or regional friendly welding shop, rig up a wand tube then purge the filled barrel with the gas. We have found this works fine.

Purged the filled barrels from the bottom up. A lit candle on top is a poor indicator. When it goes out, there is still much remaining O2 in the barrel. Go slow.

We evolved to the smaller barrels because they lasted. Also still possible for one to roll them around. The inert gas prohibits/retards bug growth. But remember; you will NOT be able to keep your bulk food storage stuff 100% bug free. Not going to happen. If you can swallow it, the taste of the little white maggots is not that bad. Like said, extra protein. Some crunch with chewed. Yumm.

 

[titsonritz]

Protein bonus

 

[billdeserthills]

I've not had problems with packaged items that I have not opened yet (including Jiffy cornbread mix), only those that I bought bulk and kept in my own containers - whether it was snacks or staples, and this was mostly from Costco.

I am going to open up a can of Nido soon - I've read it goes rancid quickly (around one year) and all of my Nido is well past the expire date - some is about 10 years old - but I do not expect pests and have not found any in packaged foods upon opening it.

I've actually found bugs in the Jiffy Mix, which is why I quit buying it. Jiffy Mix is sold in a plain cardboard box & the contents are easily gotten into by bugs

 

[The Heretic]

I've actually found bugs in the Jiffy Mix, which is why I quit buying it. Jiffy Mix is sold in a plain cardboard box & the contents are easily gotten into by bugs

Yup - but I never have, and I have made cornbread with it for many years. Maybe I am just lucky or I did not notice. I've not been so lucky with bulk contents.

 

[billdeserthills]

Yup - but I never have, and I have made cornbread with it for many years. Maybe I am just lucky or I did not notice. I've not been so lucky with bulk contents.

Someone told me that sometimes the bug eggs are deposited into the product at the time of manufacture, only to later hatch out