SIGforum
Decline in food purity/quality
April 18, 2024, 01:33 PM
PHPaulDecline in food purity/quality
In the last few months, we've had to throw away corn meal and two bags of flour that were bug-infested.
These are brand name (Gold Medal) products, not cheap Walmart-brand stuff.
We do keep a stocked pantry so this stuff had been in the house for a few months, but it was in factory sealed bags inside of a tied-off plastic bag until opened for use and the weevils (or whatever they were) were spotted upon opening.
Anybody else seeing this?
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April 18, 2024, 01:52 PM
GustoferYep. Had a 10# bag of Gold Medal bread flour full of bugs a few months ago.
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April 18, 2024, 01:57 PM
ArtieSI've had them in flour. You really don't taste them.
Or, you can put the affected product in the freezer, and the bugs will abandon it and die.
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April 18, 2024, 02:16 PM
10X-ShooterI’m only 57 but when we were growing up we had that same problem as far back as I can remember. Our mother used a flour sifter to separate the bugs from flour. Not saying quality hasn’t degraded, just that it’s been a problem for a long time. Don’t ever ask about what the plant that makes pop tarts uses and filth surrounding the product if you don’t want to know.
April 18, 2024, 02:20 PM
tatortoddWhen I buy a bag of rice or a bag of flour, I put it in my freezer for 72 hours. I developed that habit after finding rice weavils. Weird as shit that I only had insects at the cat bowl on Tuesdays, but once I found the bag of rice in the pantry adjacent to the cat bowl I learned that rice weavils hatch weekly.
Never done it to cornmeal though.
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DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer. April 18, 2024, 03:16 PM
smschulzquote:
Originally posted by Gustofer:
Yep. Had a 10# bag of Gold Medal bread flour full of bugs a few months ago.
Bugs are a protein additive.
April 18, 2024, 03:22 PM
PASigNope.
And I do a fair amount of baking and use a lot of flour and sugar. We get all our staples like that from Aldi and never have any issues.
April 18, 2024, 03:22 PM
229DAKquote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
When I buy a bag of rice or a bag of flour, I put it in my freezer for 72 hours.
We do the same to dry cat food.
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April 18, 2024, 03:23 PM
LS1 GTOquote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
quote:
Originally posted by Gustofer:
Yep. Had a 10# bag of Gold Medal bread flour full of bugs a few months ago.
Bugs are a protein additive.
Protein converted.
To add though, only had the issue once, about five ears ago. Thought the bugs got into the flour after it was opened and age but, still have flour in the pantry about a year old and no issues.
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April 18, 2024, 03:32 PM
6gunsA bit related, I remember when I was sailing I'd often see weevils in my breakfast cereal. I got used to it and ate them too.
Like smschulz said, added protein.
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April 18, 2024, 03:42 PM
maxwayneFlour is taken out of the factory bag and stored in sealed plastic containers. If we have a quantity it is stored in the freezer.
April 18, 2024, 05:56 PM
irreverentYup. The further north, the less the problem, but depending on how quickly you go through it, and what the temp/humidity is can really affect things. I, too, have started to freeze until use..I’ll tolerate a few in my pancake or bread mix, but I had to throw some out last year…just too much.
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April 18, 2024, 06:09 PM
HRKquote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
When I buy a bag of rice or a bag of flour, I put it in my freezer for 72 hours.
And a good idea to do with Cuban Cigars, they don't have the pest control they used to, so you freeze them to kill off any pests that could run through your humidor eating holes in all your cigars.
Flour goes into the fridge and out of the factory bags, can't say I've seen bugs in the ones we get... so far...
April 18, 2024, 06:33 PM
captain127What I have noticed lately is that produce quality or freshness is definitely down. Fresh fruit seems to spoil quickly, faster than my wife and I can eat it. Sometimes I buy a new package of berries ( typically straw or blue) and if I don’t wash inspect and cull out a few bad ones right away a lot will rot in just a few days. And sometimes with the strawberries you can’t even find a package that doesn’t have a couple few “hairy” ones while still at the store.
April 18, 2024, 06:56 PM
irreverentIs it possible that it might be because of suppliers trying to use less chemicals?
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April 18, 2024, 07:21 PM
MelissaDallasquote:
Originally posted by captain127:
What I have noticed lately is that produce quality or freshness is definitely down. Fresh fruit seems to spoil quickly, faster than my wife and I can eat it. Sometimes I buy a new package of berries ( typically straw or blue) and if I don’t wash inspect and cull out a few bad ones right away a lot will rot in just a few days. And sometimes with the strawberries you can’t even find a package that doesn’t have a couple few “hairy” ones while still at the store.
I think a lot of the produce and dairy problem is stuff sitting on the dock/not getting put up promptly because of lack of staff at the store.
April 18, 2024, 07:52 PM
frayedendsI’ve never seen a bug in flour or corn meal. I do freeze corn meal for a few days as I’ve heard it kills any eggs that may be there. One bug and I’m tossing it.
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April 18, 2024, 08:45 PM
bendableIf we could just find a way to sift out the plastics.
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April 19, 2024, 09:18 AM
snwghstAll flour will get bugs. I always put in the freezer
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April 19, 2024, 02:57 PM
PASigI have never seen a bug in flour, this is actually a thing?