# flour and cornmeal storage.



## akgriffin (Mar 5, 2018)

I can not find an answer for my question. Why can you not store processed flour cause was the wheat germ oils will cause it to spoil in time, but why cant cornmeal be stored in this way? thanks for the help..


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

akgriffin said:


> I can not find an answer for my question. Why can you not store processed flour cause was the wheat germ oils will cause it to spoil in time, but why cant cornmeal be stored in this way? thanks for the help..


Corn also has oil and so cornmeal will also go rancid.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Don't know about wheat . . . but I've got corn in a barrel out back . . . had it there for years . . . feed the birds . . . when I need corn meal . . . go get it . . . run it thru the blender. . . . sieve it . . . make corn bread.

My wife likes her store bought stuff better though.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

akgriffin said:


> I can not find an answer for my question. Why can you not store processed flour cause was the wheat germ oils will cause it to spoil in time, but why cant cornmeal be stored in this way? thanks for the help..


I have a 10lb bag of all purpose flour in a mylar bag with an o2 absorber just to see how it would do. It's been in there now about 5 years. I have #10 cans of both ground flour and wheat to be ground. Shelf life on both of those is supposed to be about 25yrs.

Right after the pandemic started and the shelves were bare, I was going to open the mylar bag. I asked people who are as near experts I can find about how good it would be and they told me this is how they store flour and it should be fine. They and their parents have been storing food all their lives. I didn't have to open it yet as the store I shop at had 3 bags on the shelf the next time I went.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

inceptor said:


> I have a 10lb bag of all purpose flour in a mylar bag with an o2 absorber just to see how it would do. It's been in there now about 5 years. I have #10 cans of both ground flour and wheat to be ground. Shelf life on both of those is supposed to be about 25yrs.
> 
> Right after the pandemic started and the shelves were bare, I was going to open the mylar bag. I asked people who are as near experts I can find about how good it would be and they told me this is how they store flour and it should be fine. They and their parents have been storing food all their lives. I didn't have to open it yet as the store I shop at had 3 bags on the shelf the next time I went.


It wouldn't hurt to rotate that bag of flour.....while new flour is still available, use the old one you have had stored and replace with new ones. See if it's still good & works like fresh and if so, then you know you have atleast another 5 years or more from the new flour stored.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

akgriffin said:


> I can not find an answer for my question. Why can you not store processed flour cause was the wheat germ oils will cause it to spoil in time, but why cant cornmeal be stored in this way? thanks for the help..


Dried & stored corn kernels and wheat berries last much longer than already ground and/or processed flours/meals. Plus if you have the space, they can be planted to grow more. Cornmeal &/or flour can either go bad or get buggy.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

JustAnotherNut said:


> Dried & stored corn kernels and wheat berries last much longer than already ground and/or processed flours/meals. Plus if you have the space, they can be planted to grow more. Cornmeal &/or flour can either go bad or get buggy.


Not sure about wheat, but corn seed has a short self life, < < 5 years in good circumstances.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Mad Trapper said:


> Not sure about wheat, but corn seed has a short self life, < < 5 years in good circumstances.


So in the meantime, grow some. Dent or Flint corn....but not sweet corn.

Actually I know of a lady that grows popcorn, then grinds that for cornmeal. So that's an option too


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## Zane (Aug 29, 2017)

Put flour in the freezer for a couple days before sealing it in Mylar. It kills anything in it.


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## jeffh (Apr 6, 2020)

Zane said:


> Put flour in the freezer for a couple days before sealing it in Mylar. It kills anything in it.


Definitely.

Had an infestation in the pantry a number of years ago. Those bugs are nasty and difficult to kill.

On topic of the life span of flour and in general anything that expires, employ a rotating storage pantry so nothing expires before it is used.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Having read up a little on how the Momos due it packing in inert gas can keep the weevvils from hatching in grain prohibits mold etc. Co2 and Nitrogen ranks high. Can supposedly be achieved by placing dry ice on top and the gas being heavier than air it will settle donwn on it as it dissipates and a person shuts the lid right quick. Sure there are better ways 
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/...e-frequently-asked-questions/co2-and-nitrogen


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