# Bugs in my wheat berries??



## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

We have a local farmers market that sells whole wheat berries for grinding. I purchase them every few months for baking. I have found on more than one occasion that there are small black living bugs in the container before I even open it if I don't use the berries soon enough. What are they? How do they get into a sealed container? If I don't see them and I use the berries right away are they still dormant in there? Am I eating them unknowingly? Totally freaked out


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You probably eat far more bugs than you realize.

When you first get the wheat berries, put them in the freezer for a few days. That will kill any that may be present. You can heat treat them to by putting in a 250Âº oven for 20 minutes, however, I don't know how that will effect (affect?) the grain.

All kinds of bug larvae get into things that grow in the fields - rice, wheat, corn, oats, barley. They are usually on the product when it is harvested. The less processed it is, the more likely it is to have bugs.


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

I think it was here on HT that I learned that in processed food, they are allowed by law to have a certain percentage of 'foriegn matter' in their products. Think on that for a bit....ewwwww


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

Just some added protein...won't hurt you.....LOL


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

"IF" everyone knew what they ate and "lived" with they would be suprised. Just freeze for a few days, remove the lid when "thawing", someplace to not reintroduce the pest, then seal up....James


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

I learned to always put my flour in the freezer for a couple days.
I think Pioneer biscuit mix has diatomaceous earth in the ingredients for just the reason you mentioned.

Diatomaceous Earth (food grade): Bug Killer You Can Eat!


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

There are a few insects that can be in wheat. Usually at harvest time, any insects harvested by the combine get into the grain bins and die soon after, as they do not feed on wheat. And then there are storage insects, or bugs that specifically feed on wheat. Unless your wheat was recently harvested, within say a week, it will probably be the storage insects you are looking at. The main cause of insects in storage for farmers is improper moisture content, and or grain temperature. 

I would suggest drying the wheat when you first get it, to a moisture content of below 14.5%. Wheat will store for decades, and never have a bug infestation, as long as the moisture content is low enough. Also, if you store it in your freezer, you will have no issues either. 

Diatomaceous earth is used on the farm if an infestation is expected, or you are storing high risk grain, like damp wheat, or hot grain. But unfortunately, it does not actually work very well on the farm scale for some reason. The main preventative measure is to harvest the grain cool and dry, or to cool and dry it soon afterwards.

One thing you could try, is to use a vaccum cleaner, like a central vac system with the exhaust port on the exterior of the home. The lighter material, including the bugs get blown out the exhaust, but the wheat is left behind.

Just a bit of a backgrounder on how to avoid stored grain insects.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

stamphappy said:


> I think it was here on HT that I learned that in processed food, they are allowed by law to have a certain percentage of 'foriegn matter' in their products. Think on that for a bit....ewwwww


Just how do you propose to make it 100% foreign matter-free?


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