Storing and keeping flour fresh

[bluebird7]

Been reading alot of postings on this forum, a wealth of information. Thank god for pizzamaking.com.

Recently, I bought some all trumps flour ( 5lb bag ), received it in the mail yesterday. I put it in the refrigerator, no doubt I'll be seeing bug infestation . My question is how long does it take for it to be contaminated with bugs. I read the part in the forum that if you freeze it for 45 days it kills the bugs/ larvae
in the flour but that's just if you got bugs in it.
Shaun

[Pete-zza]

Shaun,

I believe what you read was for a 50-pound bag, not a 5-pound bag. Remember also that the bugs can into a bag of flour from the outside. So, your pantry or wherever you store your flour should be kept free of bugs as much as possible. You will also want to store your flour in some sort of airtight container.

Peter

[bluebird7]

Hi,
5 pound of bag of all trumps. I just wanted to try some flower instead of buying a 50 pound. Refrigerated it right away. Can the flour get buggy  in the refigerated if its not air tight.
By the way, the  doughs I made are gradually rising ( slow rising ). 

Shaun

[The Dough Doctor]

Shaun;
While the flour miller takes steps to ensure the flour is bug free and devoid of any insect eggs, nothing is 100% so there is always a possibility that there can be some viable eggs in the flour. When they hatch they will be larvae and the flour will be "wormy", then they mature into adults and you have "buggy" flour, soon to be followed by the laying of eggs and a repeat of the cycle. This can all take place in as little as a month. So, at the very least, you should take steps to ensure the flour is not infested from the outside of the package, this means putting it into a plastic or metal container, no need to be air tight, bust bug tight. Flour does change during storage, it oxidizes, meaning that it gets stronger. This may not be a good thing as it can result in excessive dough memory/snap-back during the forming operation. For this reason, we suggest storing the flour in the fridge if at all possible. If you plan to store it for an extended length of time we suggest first freezing the flour for 45-days or more, then storing it in the fridge.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[Pete-zza]

Tom,

Is the 45 days freezing for a 5 pound bag of flour also?

Peter

[The Dough Doctor]

Peter;
Yes.
Tom