How do I get rid of the bugs that get into pasta?
Every time I pick up a box of pasta out of my cupboard I can see those little bugs somehow have gotten in and are having a feast. This drives me crazy. Can you please help me????
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How to get rid of bug infestation in my dry pasta packages
Very small black or dark bugs in pantry, unopened cellophane wrapped or paper packages. Can you identify and advice?
use lock n lock containers. You can buy on Amazon
1st of all, go thru all your dry foods, pastas, flours, cornmeals, cake mixes, puddings, etc & dispose of all those products that have bugs. And yes, they will sometimes get into other food beside pastas. Once you have done that & cleaned out your pantry & cupboards, take all remaining good foods & vacuum seal them with a food saver (which I do) or put them into seal tight plastic containers. Just putting them in plastic bags will not prevent bugs from getting into foods as they will eat thru the thin plastics to get to the foods. Do not store or leave your foods in any paper boxes.
You can also buy moth traps at your local stores to help catch remaining bugs. I don't recommend insect sprays around foods. The point of all this is to eliminate their accessibility to any food supply, then you can get rid of them.
Hope this helps.
I put everything in the freezer! Everything!
You either have pantry moths or weevils. I have had both over the course of my lifetime.
https://www.auntnormas.com/
https://housewifehowtos.com/clean/get-rid-of-pantry-moths/
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-get-rid-of-pantry-moths-1389063
https://m.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Pantry-Moths
https://m.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Weevils-(Flour-Bugs)
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-prevent-get-rid-of-grai-140955
Anything in a box or bag goes directly to the freezer for at least a week before incorporating into pantry stock.
At my house, we always store dry good in Tupperware or equivalent.The rationale is that if one product is contaminated it is contained. It also prevents the occasional mouse from finding a meal.
Just a question. Is your pasta old?
You might check the bag at the store. I have gotten a box of beans and rice mixture and twice I saw the bugs on the bottom of box. You will need to take everything out of that cupboard and check the rest of tbem. Scrub them down good. Check all products wipe them off before putting them back. A home economic teacher always used a stick of Spearment Gum. Just put a stick here and there. Leave the gum in the foil.
What? you don't want a little protein with your pasta??? Just kidding-Take it out of store bought container it's in asap keep it in sealed zip lock bags(they don't eat thru plastic) jars with tight lids or any such airtight/sealed storage.. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/kitchen-fixes/everything-about-pantry-pests
Ah yes...I remember it well....the war of '92...I learned all about pest proofing after we discovered our newly purchased home had a mouse infested crawlspace.
It's the same procedure with bugs. Use sturdy, air-tight plastic or glass containers. Paper and thin plastic baggies will not work.
Don't forget about your spices! I had a huge cobwebby, buggy mess in my spice cabinet because I neglected to properly store a large bulk order of herbs I bought on-line.
OK, the sealed containers is a good idea. Another one that you can use everywhere-in your house, on pets and around them; even inside them, and you too if you choose. Diatomaceous earth. Google it. When I put it around the base of my house, no bugs in the house the following year or more-'til I think to do it again. In and around where you think the bugs might be getting in. It won't harm children- in fact the opposite might be true. -Look it up. It won't be time wasted.