Bugs in Your Flour

Cooking and baking at home has become part of our “now normal” and a great way to pass the time at home. But what happens when you open a bag of flour or rice and see it moving around? Stored product pests are undesirable in any kitchen and make essential ingredients completely unusable. Unfortunately, finding weevils in your pasta or moth larvae in your dog food results in having to toss it away, and inspect the rest of your groceries. At Home Paramount, we understand what you’re going through and have some tips to keep your stored food free from invaders.

• Inspect. Take the time while at the store to insect that bag of bread or box of noodles for any signs of pests. This could be small holes they’ve chewed through the cardboard or plastic to seeing the actual pest.
• Double-check. When you get home, look through your groceries once more to make sure you didn’t miss any signs. If you’re unsure, open packages and look thoroughly. Many of these pests can be as small as a pinhead and blend in, watch for any movement.
• Protect. The best way to keep stored product pests out is to keep food in containers than they can’t chew through. Move any grains, milled products, sugars, candies, and other unsecured foods or foods with weak packaging into airtight containers made out of thick plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed on the container before storing the food away. You can even label the outside with what’s stored and the expiration date or cut the box and display the image.
• Clean. Finally, to keep stored product pests and other pests away, maintaining a high level of sanitation is key. Clean up any crumbs or spills right away, using soapy water or a disinfectant to reduce pheromones insects will use to locate the food. Be sure to take the garbage out regularly and keep the garbage bins clean as well.

Dealing with stored product pests can be difficult, stressful, and usually leads to a waste in food. Taking precautions is the best method to prevent additional expenses, but if you’re feeling unsure or worried that weevils have taken over your popcorn or pet food, give your local Home Paramount a call today for a free inspection! We’re happy to help you out so you can have peace of mind the next time you bake some cookies!