So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.

The solution, of course, is to put any freshly bought flour,
rice, cornmeal, really any grain or grain-based product (pancake
mix, for instance) in your freezer for a day or three to kill off
any eggs or larva that are in them (and they definitely *will*
be in them - they're unavoidable given the whole harvesting/milling/
storage and distribution process). If you can't keep them forever
in the freezer, take 'em out and store 'em in tightly sealed containers.

I'm sure you all know this. I'm just posting a reminder.

Actually, I do have a question: I plan to salvage that bag of
cornmeal by freezing it, then dumping it out on a tray, removing
any bugs I find, and repackaging it in a sealed container. I know
any bug eggs/larva left over will get killed when I cook it (as
polenta, for instance) and their presence is so small I don't think
it will affect the taste at all. But, what would you do?

--
Silvar Beitel

On Wednesday, September 3, 2014 8:46:05 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
>
> and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.
>
>
>
> The solution, of course, is to put any freshly bought flour,
>
> rice, cornmeal, really any grain or grain-based product (pancake
>
> mix, for instance) in your freezer for a day or three to kill off
>
> any eggs or larva that are in them (and they definitely *will*
>
> be in them - they're unavoidable given the whole harvesting/milling/
>
> storage and distribution process). If you can't keep them forever
>
> in the freezer, take 'em out and store 'em in tightly sealed containers.
>
>
>
> I'm sure you all know this. I'm just posting a reminder.
>
>
>
> Actually, I do have a question: I plan to salvage that bag of
>
> cornmeal by freezing it, then dumping it out on a tray, removing
>
> any bugs I find, and repackaging it in a sealed container. I know
>
> any bug eggs/larva left over will get killed when I cook it (as
>
> polenta, for instance) and their presence is so small I don't think
>
> it will affect the taste at all. But, what would you do?
>
>
>
> --
>
> Silvar Beitel

I think your methodology is good. I doubt you will notice any difference.

On Wed, 3 Sep 2014 08:46:05 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

> So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
> and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.
>
> The solution, of course, is to put any freshly bought flour,
> rice, cornmeal, really any grain or grain-based product (pancake
> mix, for instance) in your freezer for a day or three to kill off
> any eggs or larva that are in them (and they definitely *will*
> be in them - they're unavoidable given the whole harvesting/milling/
> storage and distribution process). If you can't keep them forever
> in the freezer, take 'em out and store 'em in tightly sealed containers.
>
> I'm sure you all know this. I'm just posting a reminder.
>
> Actually, I do have a question: I plan to salvage that bag of
> cornmeal by freezing it, then dumping it out on a tray, removing
> any bugs I find, and repackaging it in a sealed container. I know
> any bug eggs/larva left over will get killed when I cook it (as
> polenta, for instance) and their presence is so small I don't think
> it will affect the taste at all. But, what would you do?

When my dad and his wife lived in Hawaii, they put everything in the
freezer - including breakfast cereal.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On 9/3/2014 9:46 AM, wrote:
> So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
> and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.
>
> The solution, of course, is to put any freshly bought flour,
> rice, cornmeal, really any grain or grain-based product (pancake
> mix, for instance) in your freezer for a day or three to kill off
> any eggs or larva that are in them (and they definitely *will*
> be in them - they're unavoidable given the whole harvesting/milling/
> storage and distribution process). If you can't keep them forever
> in the freezer, take 'em out and store 'em in tightly sealed containers.
>
> I'm sure you all know this. I'm just posting a reminder.
>
> Actually, I do have a question: I plan to salvage that bag of
> cornmeal by freezing it, then dumping it out on a tray, removing
> any bugs I find, and repackaging it in a sealed container. I know
> any bug eggs/larva left over will get killed when I cook it (as
> polenta, for instance) and their presence is so small I don't think
> it will affect the taste at all. But, what would you do?
>
I'd likely dump it and start fresh.

But I'd make sure to store in one of those push to lock Oxo sealed
containers.

Darned things are magic.

http://www.oxo.com/p-877-10-piece-po...ainer-set.aspx

wrote in message
...

So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.
<snip>
But, what would you do?

--
Silvar Beitel

~~~~~~~
I would put it in the trash. Your suggested method would probably not cause
any harm, but I would rather waste one container than to deliberately ingest
grain moths. Incidentally, I have frozen all flour and grain items
(oatmeal, etc.) ever since I had an infestation of weevils a number of years
ago. I even freeze bird seed because my garage (where I store the seed
after freezing) is attached to the house, and I often find little "crawlers"
when I first open bird seed after bringing it home. They won't hurt the
birds, but I don't want to invite them into my house.

MaryL

"Mayo" > wrote in message ...
> On 9/3/2014 9:46 AM, wrote:
>> So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
>> and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.
>>
>> The solution, of course, is to put any freshly bought flour,
>> rice, cornmeal, really any grain or grain-based product (pancake
>> mix, for instance) in your freezer for a day or three to kill off
>> any eggs or larva that are in them (and they definitely *will*
>> be in them - they're unavoidable given the whole harvesting/milling/
>> storage and distribution process). If you can't keep them forever
>> in the freezer, take 'em out and store 'em in tightly sealed containers.
>>
>> I'm sure you all know this. I'm just posting a reminder.
>>
>> Actually, I do have a question: I plan to salvage that bag of
>> cornmeal by freezing it, then dumping it out on a tray, removing
>> any bugs I find, and repackaging it in a sealed container. I know
>> any bug eggs/larva left over will get killed when I cook it (as
>> polenta, for instance) and their presence is so small I don't think
>> it will affect the taste at all. But, what would you do?
>>
> I'd likely dump it and start fresh.
>
> But I'd make sure to store in one of those push to lock Oxo sealed
> containers.
>
> Darned things are magic.
>
> http://www.oxo.com/p-877-10-piece-po...ainer-set.aspx

I store everything in containers now. After getting weevils.

On 9/3/2014 6:37 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Mayo" > wrote in message ...
>> On 9/3/2014 9:46 AM, wrote:
>>> So I just went out the pantry to check my stock of cornmeal
>>> and discovered grain moths in an unopened bag. Nuts.
>>>
>>> The solution, of course, is to put any freshly bought flour,
>>> rice, cornmeal, really any grain or grain-based product (pancake
>>> mix, for instance) in your freezer for a day or three to kill off
>>> any eggs or larva that are in them (and they definitely *will*
>>> be in them - they're unavoidable given the whole harvesting/milling/
>>> storage and distribution process). If you can't keep them forever
>>> in the freezer, take 'em out and store 'em in tightly sealed containers.
>>>
>>> I'm sure you all know this. I'm just posting a reminder.
>>>
>>> Actually, I do have a question: I plan to salvage that bag of
>>> cornmeal by freezing it, then dumping it out on a tray, removing
>>> any bugs I find, and repackaging it in a sealed container. I know
>>> any bug eggs/larva left over will get killed when I cook it (as
>>> polenta, for instance) and their presence is so small I don't think
>>> it will affect the taste at all. But, what would you do?
>>>
>> I'd likely dump it and start fresh.
>>
>> But I'd make sure to store in one of those push to lock Oxo sealed
>> containers.
>>
>> Darned things are magic.
>>
>> http://www.oxo.com/p-877-10-piece-po...ainer-set.aspx
>
> I store everything in containers now. After getting weevils.

Smart move, even in a dry climate like ours the pests rule.