# Question about bugs in my flour



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Hi,
I have a few questions about bugs in my flour. I know that sometimes when you buy flour that 
already has bugs in it and to get rid of them you are suppose to put the flour in a freezer before
storage to kill the bugs. Is this true? If so how cold and for how long? 
And what can I use for a storage container that's about as big as a trash can?


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Heat in cooking will kill them too. 

Trash can?

The bugs are as harmless as eating any other type of bug - mostly harmless.


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## MrsInor (Apr 15, 2013)

Put the flour in the freezer for three to four days. A trash can will be mighty heavy to lift. If you're going to store flour ask at bakeries, stores, etc for discarded five gallon buckets. At least you can lift those and they stack well.


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## redhawk (May 7, 2014)

Put some bay leaves in your flour too, that will help repel bugs.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Don't worry about them, just a little extra protein. If anybody says anything, tell them you mixed rye flour in it and it must be unground rye seeds.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Food grade diatomaceous earth added to flour or grain will take care of killing the bugs, and is harmless to humans and animals. If you have the ability to add some, and still have room to shake and shift the contents to disperse it, that should kill off the bugs pretty easy.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

A. Freezing - I like a week at 0
B. Storing - Keep in original bags (one pounders?) if you can. Vac seal them in an outer layer
C. StorAGE - MrsInor is right - Better to have many smaller units than one large unit Stack 5 gal buckets.
D. Post storage pest control - If your food is frozen to kill off anything - then vac sealed, you are good. When you stick the bags in the 5 gal buckets you can put bay or DE in the bucket so it isn't in your flour. Let it fill in some of the voids. This will keep them, out of the bucket.

So no bugs in your bags - bugs repelled from the bucket - you are good.

I like keeping my stuff in small "barterable" containers or units and in original packaging. For obvious reasons.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

I also freeze all store bought grains, legumes and flour, for at least 3 days. This will kill adult insects and larval forms, but not necessarily eggs. I then pack in 3-5 gallon food safe buckets (you can get them at Home Depot, with either gamma seal lids or regular rubber ring seal lids). I got a long wand for my son's CO2 tank and then use that to start filling the buckets from the bottom with food grade CO2. (You can also use nitrogen). This is what is used for commercially prepared foods that come in sealed plastic bags - from those salad greens that turn brown as soon as you open the bag to breakfast cereal. The CO2 is heavier than air and when the buckets are filled slowly from the bottom, all O2 laden air is displaced.(You can put a little candle on the top of the grain and watch it go out which indicates that no O2 is present at that level.) I add some O2 absorbers on top and slide the CO2 wand out as I seal the lid. Getting rid of all the oxygen will ensure a longer storage time and ensure that no insects will be alive. Some of my buckets will suck in a bit on the sides, indicating a vacume. I'm not sure if this is because the CO2 is very cold or if the O2 absorbers reduce volume. At any rate, I know the buckets are sealed well when they are like this. BTW, the cheapest O2 absorbers are at WalMart - "Hot Hands" hand warmers, which uses powdered iron.

OK, for a pure prepper/survival method of food storage, you can do what the ancient Anasazi people did. They built air tight masonry graineries in their dwellings where they would store grain and food stuffs. Before sealing the door they would make a small fire inside. The fire would use up all the O2, killing any insects, and thus preserving the grain for future planting or dietary need.


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## Guest (Jun 7, 2014)

Just FYI on the bug front. Weevils don't carry disease or natural toxins. They r safe to eat. However, there is a little guy called a flour mite. They will upset your stomach if you eat them . They r extremely small but u can identify them in your flour by looking closely at the color of your flour. Any lite red color and you should discard. Many bugs are poisonous to eat so be informed before getting your grub on


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

You know, they don't eat much and they are a good source of protein. Maybe set them aside in their own little flower pot and raise them to feed to the chickens.

(you thought I was going to suggest you eat them didn't you)


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