Why We Freeze The Rice And Flour

[sakon76]

Since I gave Wonderful Husband a breadmaker last Christmas we've been making all our own bread. Which is fun and tasty and we've definitely got some favorite recipes, though every so often I branch out in the Betty Crocker bread cookbook I got him at the same time and try something new just for the sake of experimentation. (Whole wheat oatmeal and sunflower seed bread: did not make the favorites list.) Me being me and having just enough under-counter space for stacked 10-gallon plastic tubs of flour and rice, I buy in bulk. 25-pound bags. Which all goes in the freezer for a day or two first, in sections if needs be as they frequently do.

Why?

Because when I was scooping the flour from the bag into the 5-gallon plastic cylinder that fits nicely in the available space in the freezer, I paused. I carefully scooped just a tiny tiny bit of the flour back out. And, yep, that beige-colored little line started wriggling.

There's a certain amount of insects and insect eggs that are legally allowed into foods in the U.S. It's a little gross if you're squeamish, but, well, we've probably all eaten these kind of bugs before unknowingly and none of us are dead yet, right? Just think of it as bonus protein. And the theory goes that freezing the rice and flour for 24-48 hours will kill whatever bugs are in them as well as their eggs.

Wriggly thing has been tossed in trash, first portion of the bread flour has been tossed in freezer. Wonderful (squeamish) Husband has been sufficiently grossed out for the day.

My work here is done.

Comments

[kamiki-seto.livejournal.com]

We highly recommend the bread cookbooks by Father Dominic Garramone. His PBS show on bread baking some years back got Jeff interested in doing some of that, and he's been making bread occasionally from those recipes ever since, with wonderful results. After trying several, I prefer not to take up space in our smallish kitchen with a bread machine, but Jeff LIKES kneading by hand, so that works out. (He did a fantastic cinnamon swirl bread last night. nom nom nom...)

[socialninja.livejournal.com]

Guh, I thought I was the only one with those bugs. The eggs look too much like flour to easily distinguish them. I hate them so much since they found the pasta. They are murdered on sight and, lately, with unbridled glee.

Freezing will take the fun out of it, but it is something I will certainly do.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

From what i've heard, cultures that do not knowingly eat meat unknowingly get a lot of protein from grain-borne eggs. Hindi and Jain folks don't eat as many nutrients in the US if they eat a traditional diet, because of the tighter controls on grains.

[femme4jack.livejournal.com]

I've heard the same as racerxmachina. I have a very matter of fact attitude toward them. They are probably...actually...good for us, but highly icky to think about.

[toothycat]

The advice I heard suggested 6-7 days in the freezer to kill everything. If you've had an infestation in your pantry, you'll need to keep an eye on not just the flour/rice but also any pasta, cereals, dried beans etc in the vicinity.