My grocery order this week included five bags of the dry beans. I brought the box of beans from my pantry out to the kitchen table with the intent of repackaging part of them and using some of the older ones to can up as pork and beans.
To my horror I found the original six bags crawling with little black bugs. And so was the box they were in. I double wrapped the whole shebang in trash bags, sealing the tops with tape. Now they can live in the dumpster and not in my pantry.
So I learned that dry beans should be removed from the original plastic bags to be repackaged, the same as I do with anything I want to store that comes in cardboard packaging. I know that bugs like to hide in cardboard. I didn't know they also like plastic bags full of dry beans.
I opened the five bags I just bought, sorted them to remove any bad beans, put them into freezer bags and stacked them in the freezer where they will stay for a few days, just to make sure nothing is crawling around in them.
We are never too old to learn. I am glad all that lesson cost me was a few bags of beans.
Those black bugs could have come from the cardboard or the beans in the bag, but now I would bet there are bugs or eggs in the closet. They could also have been in the closet to begin with. Even if they weren't in the pantry to begin with, I would fear they are now. I moved into a house that looked clean. However, roaches ran from everywhere as we moved in. A bit later everything I moved into the pantry closet was crawling with bugs. Imagine replacing everything you had to eat that bugs could get into.
ReplyDeleteI have put the original bags of beans into freezer bags for three days and then removed the original bags from the freezer bags. Now, I empty all beans into quart jars. I put them into the freezer or not. I mark the jars that have been in the freezer. If the beans in jars that have not been in the freezer get bugs, it is less worrisome because the bugs are contained. It is not a perfect system, but so far it has worked for me.
Some people use oxygen absorbers in jars of beans to prevent the bugs or eggs. I just don't have those.
I, like you, contain everything in bags with tape over the opening. AND, I carry it straight to the outdoor can.
Linda...Luckily, most of that closet pantry contains cans, jars and bottles of food from the grocery store. The only things in cardboard were three boxes of pancake mix and one box of Stove Top Stuffing. I ran the pancake mix through a sifter, bagged it up in freezer bags and froze it. The stuffing I tossed. There is nothing else there for bugs to get into.
DeleteI'm thinking the bugs must have come into the house with the beans. This is the first time in over 20 years I have lived here that I have found bugs of any kind.
Great that you were aware and took care of the other stuff, too. I only had bugs in things that one time, and everything had bugs in it. I know it was the house!
DeleteLinda...There were no bugs anywhere but in the beans. Hopefully I have seen the last of them.
DeleteFreezing flour, beans, pasta, etc for 24 hours will ensure that no weevils make their home in your pantry ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Dani...This was my own fault. I got lazy and didn't properly take care of the beans when I got them. I doubt that will happen again. I hate bugs!
DeleteI've been guilty of the same issue. How about finding a great deal on sugar and then ants finding it? Happened this spring to me...
ReplyDeleteK...Oh, No!! I had better consider myself lucky to have lost just a few bag of beans!
Deletei hope it is all that it has cost you.
ReplyDeletego over that closet with a fine tooth comb every few days.
these little devils are impossible to be rid of.
ask me how i know!!
or better, don't ask me. gets me riled up.
deborah...I moved everything and wiped down the shelves. Didn't find any more creepy crawlers, but I will repeat the process in a couple of days to make sure. I have never had bugs in my apartment before, with the exception of a couple of fruit flies that came in through the screens when I was canning tomatoes a couple of years ago, and they are long since gone.
DeleteRemember - bugs add protein!
ReplyDeleteYou are funny, Gorges. Dad would say something similar about mosquitoes - so big it only took two to make a meal. :)
DeleteSo sorry you had to go through that. Good reminder to me, though, as I have two bags of oatmeal that I haven't done anything with. Usually I'd put them in freezer and then into mason jars. Thanks for the reminder--off I go to take care of it. Cheers, SJ
ReplyDeleteSJ...I didn't think about bugs too much as I never have them in my apartment. Guess these little guys must have come in with the beans. I think I will make use of my FoodSaver and seal much of the dry goods using that. Hope I don't find more, but so far, so good.
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