Re: Bugs in King Arthur Flour

[pavane]

"Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
news:1kz2f7lmto0p3$.dlg@sqwertz.com...
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.

Agree and sympathize, that is really icky. But I wonder
whether bugs might weigh less than the flour they
displace? I understand that you can microwave the
bag and kill the buggies (or send them to Angela...)
but all in all I never buy again what sends insects to
me in the first place.

pavane

[projectile vomit chick]

On Oct 1, 10:51 pm, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour.  They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them.  I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away.  White unbleached all-purpose.  Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs?  Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.

Wouldn't there be bug feces in the flour as well?

ICK.....

[Polly Esther]

"pavane" <pav...@leisure.org> wrote in message
news:hTtas.79911$%p1....@en-nntp-02.dc1.easynews.com...

If I never bought anything that might contain bugs, the pantry would be
quite bare here. Grits, cornmeal, flour and such go from store to freezer.
I've even been known to freeze ants. When they planned to make the sugar
bowl their summer home I put the bowl and critters in a baggy and froze the
whole lot. Polly

[gregz]

That makes me want to vomit.

Greg

[projectile vomit chick]

On Oct 1, 11:58 pm, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

> On Mon, 1 Oct 2012 21:29:00 -0700 (PDT), projectile vomit chick wrote:
> > Wouldn't there be bug feces in the flour as well?
>
> > ICK.....
>

> Couldn't even taste it.  I'm SURE I've eaten worse.

To be sure, Burger King.

[Julie Bove]

"Polly Esther" <Poll...@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:acv93j...@mid.individual.net...

Oh wow! I have only ever seen them four times in my house. Once in a store
and I wouldn't buy from there any more.

Once was in some really old paprika that belonged to the landlord. I
replaced all of the spices after that. The bugs were dead.

Once in a Jiffy mix that I had mail ordered. Again, dead.

Then in a cornbread mix. Again, dead. I had one more mix. It appeared to
be fine. But... I suspect that is when they invaded some other things in
that cupboard and I didn't notice. I did find live ones then. Tons of them
in what appeared to be a sealed sandwich bag. They ate so much of whatever
was in there and there were so many carcasses, I couldn't tell what it was.
But I suspect it was chocolate chips.

That is when I tossed most everything in there, keeping only things like
salt and popcorn that were in thick plastic bags. I cleaned and bug sprayed
and let it all air out for weeks. The stuff I replaced sat in plastic boxes
for a while. Then I relined the cupboard. I did buy bug traps but it would
appear that I don't need them. I don't really bake any more. So I didn't
buy much at all.

[projectile vomit chick]

On Oct 2, 12:59 am, "Julie Bove" <julieb...@frontier.com> wrote:
> "Polly Esther" <Polly...@cableone.net> wrote in message

I've lived on my own and have been buying groceries for over 30 years
and I've never had bugs, nor have I bought groceries with bugs in
them.

I don't understand what disgusting levels you people with infestations
must live at. What do your bathrooms look like?

ICK...

[projectile vomit chick]

On Oct 2, 12:59 am, "Julie Bove" <julieb...@frontier.com> wrote:

> "Polly Esther" <Polly...@cableone.net> wrote in message

Why the fuck would you mail order a Jiffy mix? You can't find a cup
of flour and a teaspoon here and there of the other ingredients? Not
only are you retarded, but you are fucking stupid! Yer welcome.

[Julie Bove]

In the case of the paprika, my landlord brought it over from his cabin. I
didn't know how old it was.

In the case of the other things, the bugs were in the product when I bought
them, I believe. To be fair, the cornbread mix was old.

You do know that pretty much all flour and products of that ilk contains bug
eggs. Right? And if you live in a warm, moist area, they will hatch.

[Julie Bove]

It wasn't for me. My parents love the stuff. I had placed an order to get
some things specifically that they wanted. They had been asking about them
and couldn't find them. I don't remember what it was now that they wanted.
But I figured since I already had to pay so much for postage, I might as
well get a couple of mixes for us. I don't even remember what I got. I
don't eat the stuff. Made a ton of Jiffy mixes as a kid because that was
about all that my mom would let me buy. Whatever it was that I ordered, it
came to me with the bugs in it. I have never ordered from that company
again. It was Hometown Favorites.

[Pete C.]

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.
>

> -sw

If people would get over their total ignorance about "radiation", all of
these foods would be irradiated and there would be no bugs in anything.

[pltrgyst]

On 10/1/12 11:51 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.

Aw, come on. You must know that that is the result of improper storage
or transportation, not the fault of King Arthur's processing.

-- Larry

[Hell Toupee]

On 10/1/2012 10:51 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.

You'll eventually find bugs in a bag of some other brand flour, too.
Grain attracts bugs, and that's the way it is. Just notify KA and
they'll most likely give you coupon for a replacement bag.

[Janet Bostwick]

On Mon, 1 Oct 2012 22:51:34 -0500, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost>

wrote:

>That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
>were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
>quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
>rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
>for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
>on.
>

>-sw

Careful, you're on the slippery slope to Julie Land.
The bug eggs are on the grain -- grain is grown in the outdoors where
insects abound. Improper storage or transportation will cause the
eggs to hatch. Write to KA and tell them about it. I'm sure they
will make good your purchase.
Janet US

[Kalmia]

This can happen with lots of dry food items.

My flour gets to spend some time in the freezer before i even open the bag.

I still like KA flour for certain things and will pay the extra to buy it.

[KenK]

Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in news:1kz2f7lmto0p3
$.d...@sqwertz.com:

> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.
>
> -sw

Never had that problem with KA. Did once decades ago with Gold Medal -
store replaced it. Since that time I keep flour in the refrigerator.




--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

[Robert Klute]

On Mon, 1 Oct 2012 22:51:34 -0500, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost>
wrote:

>That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
>were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
>quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
>rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
>for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
>on.

You are lucky to have never seen an infestation before. The infestaion
may have come from the flour. Then again it may not. It may have been
cross contaminated from another product in the cupboard. Depending on
how quickly you go through flour and grain based products you may have
used infected products and used it up before the infestation was
visible.

Now that you have had one, you are at risk of another. To be safe the
cupboard it was stored in, and adjacent ones, should be cleaned out. In
particular any cracks, joints, shelf supports, and the like need to be
cleaned out.


Here are some references:
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/home/e300w.htm
http://tipnut.com/pantry-pests/

From some one who follows all the advice but cooks with Indian
ingredients, so still gets the occasional Indian meal moth infestation.

[Janet Bostwick]

On Tue, 2 Oct 2012 15:43:27 -0500, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost>
wrote:

>On Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:57:16 -0600, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>
>> Careful, you're on the slippery slope to Julie Land.
>> The bug eggs are on the grain -- grain is grown in the outdoors where
>> insects abound. Improper storage or transportation will cause the
>> eggs to hatch. Write to KA and tell them about it. I'm sure they
>> will make good your purchase.
>

>What's considered improper storage for bags of flour?
>
>-sw
A bag of white flour should be good for 2 years from packing date
according to manufacturers. The flour needs to be kept cool and dry.
My personal opinion is not to store it in the sunlight. Not
necessarily refrigerated, but cool and not humid. If warm and humid
is an issue where you live, you need to buy small amounts that can be
refrigerated or frozen.
You do not have control of how the flour traveled to you or where it
was stored until you bought it. All you can do is copy down the
product number and batch number and notify the manufacturer. They are
interested, they don't want this image of their product. Return the
product to the store. You'll get your money back and probably some
sort of concession from the manufacturer.
It's disgusting, I know, to open a package and find bugs. I bought
50# of bird food once and when opened the contents were literally
writhing. yuck
Janet US

[zxcvbob]

Sqwertz wrote:
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.
>

> -sw


All flour has insect eggs in it. Maybe the high price means a slower
turnover at the store and gave them a chance to hatch.

Just mix some poppyseeds with your flour and you won't have to think
about it. HTH :-)


Bob

[Julie Bove]

"Janet Bostwick" <nos...@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:kjlm68p5hhts5jt5u...@4ax.com...

Bird seed was the worst offender when I worked at K Mart. Some of it from
one supplier always had to be sent back.

[Jean B.]

Sqwertz wrote:
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.
>
> -sw

I always buy KA flour and have never seen a bug in it. (I hope
there will not be a first time for this!) I am wondering whether
that might occur more in certain regions.

--

[T]

In article <1kz2f7lmto0p3$.d...@sqwertz.com>, swe...@cluemail.compost
says...

>
> That was the first and last time I ever buy King Arthur flour. They
> were visible as soon as I opened the bag, 8 of them. I snuck a
> quarter cup to stiffen my wet dough, sifted through it, then threw the
> rest away. White unbleached all-purpose. Why pay more than double
> for flour with bugs? Gold Medal or the store brand for me from now
> on.
>
> -sw

I've never had a problem like that with King Arthur flour. I mostly use
their unbleached flour, bread flour and whole grain flour.

[rustysp...@gmail.com]

Actually I live in a very clean house and my flour is stored in an airtight container right after opening. The bugs didn't come from my house or my "lack of cleanliness". They came from the store. If you've never bought flour that had a bug in it, count your blessings. But don't be such a b*tch to imply that people who have had to deal with this unfortunate situation live like pigs.