Cool. 250 should kill any eggs.

I'm in and out of mine too often but if i needed longer term storage it sounds interesting.

I just keep the bags or store containers in the freezer, then fill my ball jars when empty that are on the shelf. We go through it quickly. One bad bag can cause chaos infesting the whole pantry. I had a horrid time a few years ago and never did find the culprit. Three suspects, but might have been bird seed i was keeping on the pantry floor in a bin....now it's out on the deck in a cooler to keep the critters out.

Any newly purchased bulk seeds/spices go into freezer for quarantine.

Just put out a fresh pantry trap last week for Spring cleaning and not a pest yet, fingers crossed.

I've had a couple of bulk grains that hatched. :( The bugs can't get out of my canisters, though, and they're easy to see.

Jasdip, are you doing long term storage? Because if you're using what's in the jar, you have to break the seal... So if it's to heat hot enough to kill the eggs without overdrying the grains, do you need a seal? I'd think the canning jars would be as good for keeping bugs from getting in or out as my ClickClacks.

What I'm really asking is how will you use this and what does it do for you? Because I don't understand and I'm interested.

Grainlady, what about putting a bit of dry ice in the bottom of a canning jar, filling the jar with grain, loosely placing the jar lid on (to allow the air to escape as the heavier-than-air CO2 replaces the air), then tightening the jar lid once the dry ice has replaced all the air in the jar? I've heard of doing that, but dunno how effective that is at killing off the critters.

Thanks for the speedy replies. I've not heard of this method, and I knew I'd get some valuable information and advice here.

Plllog, I currently buy flour in 10-kg bags and rice in 8kg bags. I always freeze it for several days (I love winter for that reason, it can be out on the balcony). The rice I keep in jars, as I do quinoa, oatmeal, beans, etc. I thought this was a possible other method of keeping food, instead of freezing it.

Grainlady, the woman who does this says she has used flour etc 5 years later and it still tasted good, using her baking method. She does beans, flour, lentils, etc. Anything that doesn't have fat or sugar can be done using the oven method.

Before I'd attempt it, I wanted to get opinions here. I too wondered, about the 'cooking' of the food. Would that not deteriorate the food?

I would need a really good reason to do that as all ovens are so different. I chose freezer space for bulk as it comes in from the grocery. A week is a good duration of time, then rotate. Oxygen absorbers are in my freeze-dried stuff in those foil bags.

My bug problem must have come from a bulk market but the worst was a smoked pepper/paprika mix. It was full of webs and, ahem, yuck. Plastic top so they could have come from elsewhere.

It is tempting to buy bulk. I just purchased a 5lbs sack of Palouse, Wa. garbanzos. Soaked and cooking up a cup now. Big and creamy. Much better than a random bag from the grocery.

Flours i would want the grain for long term, then grind.

I just don't think all methods translate. Especially when glass is used. I've had a wide-mouth ball crack in the freezer...and a pyrex. No explosion, just split.

arley -

Dry ice (frozen CO2) is a recommended method for dry beans and dry grain in buckets, but I'm not familiar with using it for anything else. It takes approx. one ounce of dry ice per gallon (7 grams per liter) capacity of the container. "Do NOT use dry ice in metal containers of any kind or size because of the potential for inadequate seals or excessive buildup of pressure."

Dry ice is an effective fumigant for controlling pests in stored grain/beans. I know the local mill uses this method for shipping 5-gallon buckets of wheat destined for long-term storage. A single treatment with dry ice is sufficient for long-term storage, but as often as annual treatments may be necessary if an infestation is noticed. Having just purchased dry ice a couple weeks ago, it may also be an expensive method. I'm not sure if dry ice will work in jar storage since it would be difficult getting the "right" amount, but O2 absorbers (oxygen absorbers) will, and it takes different sizes for different size jars (also for mylar bag storage).

General information for everyone :

Oxygen absorbers: Insects require oxygen to survive, so removing oxygen is an effective insect prevention measure. The problem comes from the cost, so using a FoodSaver and the jar sealer is a less-expensive method that effectively does nearly the same thing.

O2 Absorbers protect dried food color when the food is stored below 70°F. Protect food from oxidation degredation at ALL temperatures. Seeds/grains/beans will have about an 85% germination rate after 24-months, but can still be used for long periods of time after that for cooking/milling.

In all stored foods we strive to avoid exposure to oxygen, light, heat, moisture and insect infestation. Room temperature storage is considered 70°F, but optimum food storage is between 40° and 60°F. For each 10° below "room temperature" you store food, you can double the shelf-life, but the opposite is also true when you store it at warmer temperatures. BUT!!! all food storage is about rotating it, not how long you can store it. I have 3-levels of home food storage and my long-term food storage is in #10 cans that are hermetically sealed and have O2 Absorbers in them to remove the oxygen. I have a year's worth of food, with the exception of the "Seven Survival Foods" (grains, seeds for sprouting, honey/sweeteners, salt, coconut oil, and powdered milk) which I have enough for 3-years.

Vacuum-sealed Flour: Must be in a canister/jar that has enough space so the flour remains free-flowing - NOT packed tight in a FoodSaver or Mylar bag. There is enough moisture in the flour it can start to smell like mildew, and can be deadly if mold spores develops. This is NOT a long-term storage item.

Flour (bleached/unbleached) only has a short shelf-life no matter how it's stored - about 12-months at room temperature, and double that amount if frozen. Old flour makes bad baked goods. As sleevendog mentioned, the suggested method is to store the whole grain and mill your own flour for long-term storage. Wheat has a 30-year shelf-life.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is NOT a recommended storage method.

Bay leaves, chewing gum (mint flavored or otherwise), 10-penny nails, and salt: These are old wives tales, and although well-researched has NO research-based evidence that they work.

-Grainlady

As an oxygen remover, I used to place a piece of foil inside the jar, over the contents. Insert a burning piece of wax paper, screw on lid. This was for salmon roe used as bait. This method prevented mold.

When I realized that I wasn't plowing through wheat as fast as previously, I sealed up 50# using the food saver. I'm glad to know that it'll also kill bugs. :) I've only ever had problems with two things, both small amounts, probably from bulk bins, possibly from tiny bags. I'm guessing that maybe the big sealed bags have been debugged. :)

Jasdip, thanks for the explanation, particularly of your freezing method. :) People around here get hysterical if the lows are below 50° F. :) We had separate locations (rather than in the pantry) for flour, cereal and bread when I was a kid. Bugs did come home from the store. Now, it's quite rare, but since those two grains with the bugs hatching I've been leery of bulk bins, and you've taught me about the freezing. That's a good thing to know. I can freeze little things for a few days. :)

I took a class at the Co. Extension Office years ago about "Pantry Pests" and the #1 source for them was from dry pet food/treats and bird seed. They are not produced with the same standards that human food is, and are often stored, after purchase, with food.

I prefer bulk bins with a bottom shoot that dispenses the food product into your waiting bag over one where you scoop it out through the top door. The top door bins are not cleared of the product as easily, so old product can sit in the corners.

You can freeze old moldy vintage books and prints. In a sealed bag. Just don't open the bag until it comes to room temp. Moisture transfers into the bag but will quickly dry out in that case. Books like open dry air.

More important in your dry goods in the fridge or freezer. One would think to get out your amount from the bag quickly, then seal it back up as quick as possible but you are just sealing up that transferred moisture. Why tomato powder hardens especially in the fridge. Will even develop mold over time.

Our back-up emergency dog food is stored in the freezer.

I put moisture-absorbing silica packets (from supplements we take) inside the top of the jar of tomato powder to help keep it free-flowing and eliminate moisture from opening the jar. The refrigerator is actually a very dry environment due to the frost-free feature, but the kitchen is a whole different story, and never dip a wet spoon in the tomato powder.... When I divide a 10# can of tomato powder I will place it in 1/2-pint jars (with a moisture-absorbing silica pak. on the top) rather than use from one large jar. I store the in-use jar in the refrigerator and the remaining jars in the food storage room in the basement.

The air exchange creates condensation, hot and cold air. Frost-free fridge/freezer are designed to eliminate moisture inside the fridge/freezer when the appliance is shut. Once opened moisture enters the appliance box during that air exchange. Once shut it does its work to illuminate the moisture that has entered. And why your packages and beverages become wet/damp on the exterior once removed. Open the package right away and moisture will enter the package and its contents if very cold.

An absorber packet will deal with that. I still give my dry goods 5-10 min at least, resting on the counter.