Vacuum sealed foods = no bugs in rice?

SandyDM · #1 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

For the pasta, rice, etc. that I seal in Food Saver bags, should I still add a bay leaf? or, assuming the bags don't get damaged, will the vacuuming alone keep out the bugs until I open the food for use?

I'm starting to shop the sales for our first trip down the ICW to the Bahamas in the Fall!

Thank you!

Minnewaska · #2 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Unless the bag breaks, there is no way anything, including bugs, will get in. Maybe I missed a nuance here, that seems too obvious.

SandyDM · #3 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnewaska

Maybe I missed a nuance here, that seems too obvious.

I guess I've had too much time to think as I've been sealing and sealing and sealing! but I have seen the results of mice eating through commercially sealed food packages before - I didn't know if it was the same with roaches or any other type of bug.

tomperanteau · #4 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by SandyDM

I have seen the results of mice eating through commercially sealed food packages before - I didn't know if it was the same with roaches or any other type of bug.

We store about 300 pounds of rice aboard and had another few hundred in the attic at the office. We keep the rice on the boat in hard plastic boxes. It stays dry and the bugs don't get into it in my area. The hard plastic takes a bit more room to store, but it does protect the food.

SVAuspicious · #5 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Unfortunately, the bugs don't get into rice and other grains. The eggs are already there.

I buy rice, other grains, and pasta in bulk from US warehouse stores and break them up and vacuum seal. I've been doing this for about five years with no outbreaks at all. With no other data to go on if I buy grains outside the first world countries I would stick a bay leaf in each bag before vacuum sealing.

BubbleheadMd · #6 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomperanteau

We store about 300 pounds of rice aboard and had another few hundred in the attic at the office. We keep the rice on the boat in hard plastic boxes. It stays dry and the bugs don't get into it in my area. The hard plastic takes a bit more room to store, but it does protect the food.

Geeze Tom, you really are preparing for the zombie apocolypse.

tomperanteau · #7 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

Geeze Tom, you really are preparing for the zombie apocolypse.

No. Just good to be preparing for an extended voyage.

jmayton · #8 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by SandyDM

For the pasta, rice, etc. that I seal in Food Saver bags, should I still add a bay leaf? or, assuming the bags don't get damaged, will the vacuuming alone keep out the bugs until I open the food for use?

I'm starting to shop the sales for our first trip down the ICW to the Bahamas in the Fall!

Thank you!

Fair winds and open bridges on your trip this Fall. I imagine that vacuum sealing and bay leaves provide a measure of redundancy that may be helpful. Besides, it saves space because you no longer need extraneous bay leaf storage.

wingNwing · #9 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

Dave (Auspicious) is correct - the eggs are already there. (You don't want to ask how I know this.) Vacuum seal with bay leaves, OR freeze the rice for 4 days first, also kills the weevil eggs. I've heard you can microwave the rice first to kill the eggs but don't know this for sure since we don't have a microwave. I suppose you could just let the little guys hatch, adds extra protein on a long passage? Eeeew!

PaulfromNWOnt · #10 (**permalink**) 07-26-2011

I wonder if sealing it, and leaving it outside at 40 below for a few days would help. It's not -40 here yet, but it just occurred to me for the future.