Weevils in my cereals

[poppysdad]

It’s happened a couple of times in the past and again yesterday. I had taken a couples of spoonfuls of my breakfast cereal and suddenly noticed minute creatures swimming in the milk. I threw that lot away and filled another bowl only to find the same thing. We keep the cereals in an airtight glass container and on giving it a good shake we found more climbing around the flakes. We searched the cupboard and shelves to look for any but found none.

 

We always on opening a new box put the contents into an airtight container which is always washed out between fillings So where are they coming from, is it remotely possible that they are there when packed in the factory and I’m quite happy to accept that despite our cleanliness they get in at our house even though no sign of them anywhere outside of the container. Is it more common than I realise.
 

 

[BritManToo]

Microwave your cereal.

The creatures will still be there but you won't notice them if they're dead.

They're in factory packed eggs that come with the cereal, sometimes they hatch while still on the shop shelf.

On the positive side, at least you know your cereal isn't full of pesticide.

Edited February 25, 2020 by BritManToo

[Guderian]

It used to be a regular thing when I lived in NIgeria, but here in Thailand it's only happened once, when I found them in muesli that was in a sealed ziploc bag. I have an excellent pest control guy and never, ever see any bugs in the kitchen, so I assumed they must already have been in the bag of muesli when I bought it from Makro. So I think the above explanation by @britmantoo is probably right.

[scorecard]

We eat a lot of cereal, over 30+ years only ever had one bag of muesli have weevils,  it was an imported brand from Europe. It was a new brand for our family, we opened the bag and the taste was nothing like the muesli taste we were all used to.

 

We should have thrown it away but there was no insects seen and we just left it in the watertight bin that we use to keep our cereals.

 

About a week later my young granddaughter was getting some cereal and milk for herself for a snack, suddenly she came to me with her bowl and said 'grandfather why has my muesli got animals?'

 

It was thrown away immediately and replaced with some corn flakes. The muesli bag was put into another plastic bag and the top tied and the same day we took it to our supermarket.  The owner quickly told the staff to remove all products from that brand and put it in bags and tied. He never again brought in products from that brand. 

 

Since that time I've been told that supermarkets everywhere often spot weevils etc., in their stock and throw it away. 

 

Not the end of the world.

 

 

[Jai Dee]

Similar to other pantry pests, granary and rice weevils will infest and feed on whole grains and rice as well as nuts, beans, cereals, seeds, corn, and other such foods.

 

But unlike beetles that live and feed on foods, these weevils actually live and feed inside the food. The female chews a hole into a seed or grain kernel and deposits an egg inside, then seals up the opening, leaving the egg behind. When the egg hatches (inside the grain/seed), the larva feeds on the meat inside until it is fully grown.

 

Once fully grown, the adult weevil eats its way out of the grain/seed.

 

Read more here.

[allanos]

The OP's post brings back happy memories of the time I lived in Livingstone, Zambia, many years ago.  My morning cereal was always something called Maltabella, which I used to enjoy.  One day, I discovered my "house boy" running the fine-grained cereal through a sieve, and asked him why. He was separating the weevils out, he told me. Finally, I found out that weevils were cooked into our bread also, and used to spend time picking them out of the slices, very fastidiously, before I ate the bread. 

[tifino]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Microwave your cereal.

The creatures will still be there but you won't notice them if they're dead.

They're in factory packed eggs that come with the cereal, sometimes they hatch while still on the shop shelf.

On the positive side, at least you know your cereal isn't full of pesticide.

 

you still see their little black heads, especially because your eyes are scotoma'd to look out for them. 

I thought at least they'd float after the cooking... alas Not (all of them)  

[tifino]

15 minutes ago, Guderian said:

It used to be a regular thing when I lived in NIgeria, but here in Thailand it's only happened once, when I found them in muesli that was in a sealed ziploc bag. I have an excellent pest control guy and never, ever see any bugs in the kitchen, so I assumed they must already have been in the bag of muesli when I bought it from Makro. So I think the above explanation by @britmantoo is probably right.

they were already in the nuts etc, well before the Muesli was packaged... 

 

it is even worse when one opens a new pack of Sunflower Seed (still in the shell) 

 

 

these evil little geniuses

 

flywire is useless to keep them out of the house, they are 'that' small

 

and these are what eventually crawl their way out... to start the cycle over again...   

 

 

ps... the only useful thing about them, is that your Goldfish LOVE them

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by tifino

[Cricky]

After opening I store in the fridge,

And other food stuff like milo, honey 

[merlen10002]

Put the Cereal in the Fridge, been doing it for more than 40 years never had weevils, put nuts in also , keeps the Cereal fresh and the nuts also. 

[fvw53]

but spraying pesticides can me more toxic than eating insects????

[freebyrd]

Had the same problem a few times, now my wife keeps the cereal in the fridge - problem solved.

[DaRoadrunner]

Hush your mouth man, or you will have half of Issaan knocking on your door wanting Weevils!

 

At least they were still alive, the dead ones are covered in pesticide.

[GanDoonToonPet]

Is that what those things are...I bought 3 slightly out of date packs of sage & onion stuffing because they were on offer. I thought how can dust go off ????

 

Didn't use them for a while and actually gave one to a mate. Next day he sent me a video of these things crawling around in the sealed packet.

[PETERTHEEATER]

After buying your cereal put it in the freezer for a couple of days and the low temperature will kill any hidden eggs. We have a 6 cube chest freezer and keep rice and processed cereals in it removing only ready use quantities. Happy Weetabix!

 

[sawadee1947]

I'm also a cereal breakfaster. 

However I buy at Rim Ping in CM. 

All cereals I buy are imported. 

Maybe that is why I had never had this bad experience. 

[natway09]

Don't tell everone, they will all want some

[Captain 776]

The eggs could have been in there when u bought it

[Jaxxper]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Microwave your cereal.

The creatures will still be there but you won't notice them if they're dead.

They're in factory packed eggs that come with the cereal, sometimes they hatch while still on the shop shelf.

On the positive side, at least you know your cereal isn't full of pesticide.

Plus you’re getting extra protein !!!

[Paul DS]

Most creals are vacuum filled and really don't have an issue until opened, unfortunately we have humidity in Thailand and cereals will in effect rot etc.

 

I found the best way is to double bag them and keep in the refridgerator, than never a problem...best Paul

Edited February 25, 2020 by Paul DS

[Mick501]

Take some advice from Russel Crowe in Master & Commander -. Eat the smallest one.    You should always choose the lesser of two weevils.

[chilly07]

They usually come into the house in rice and then spread to other cereals and noodles. Ants are equally as bad and just as small. Nothing to do other than trace the infestation throw everything out and use insecticide. Spray companies help

[emptypockets]

37 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

They usually come into the house in rice and then spread to other cereals and noodles. Ants are equally as bad and just as small. Nothing to do other than trace the infestation throw everything out and use insecticide. Spray companies help

Or just eat it regardless. Bugs aren't going to hurt you.

 

[CanadaSam]

My wife, the genius, does this:

 

Simply put the food with the insects in it, over a low heat (on a flat pan, or anything metal and flat).

 

The offending insects will simply crawl away to get away from the heat!

 

Then eat your insect-free food!

[Catoni]

Wheevils and their larvae are actually safe to eat. If you don’t like seeing them walking or moving, microwave first as someone already said.

   In the great Age of Sail and exploration, the British, French, Dutch and others used to get wheevils and other bugs in their food on ship all the time. Especially in the ship crackers. “Cracker Wheevils”. 

   They simply would eat them with the food. They’re not poisonous.    Creepy but harmless. A bit of extra protein. 

[Catoni]

4 hours ago, Mick501 said:

Take some advice from Russel Crowe in Master & Commander -. Eat the smallest one.    You should always choose the lesser of two weevils.

    I remember on hunting and fishing camping trips with father and grandfather in northern Ontario, Canada as a kid and into my teens. Rifles and fishing rods.

        We would catch fish out on the lakes. Clean the fish for meals and find the flesh of the fish full of tiny black wiggly worms. 

    We simply fried them well done, cooked thoroughly all the way through and ate them sprinkled with lemon juice. 

    Quite delicious and never got sick... never got infected. 

   We always did it that way. I always went back for seconds and thirds.  

    Thoroughly cooked all the way through is key. 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Catoni
Addition

[wavodavo]

17 hours ago, Jai Dee said:

Similar to other pantry pests, granary and rice weevils will infest and feed on whole grains and rice as well as nuts, beans, cereals, seeds, corn, and other such foods.

 

But unlike beetles that live and feed on foods, these weevils actually live and feed inside the food. The female chews a hole into a seed or grain kernel and deposits an egg inside, then seals up the opening, leaving the egg behind. When the egg hatches (inside the grain/seed), the larva feeds on the meat inside until it is fully grown.

 

Once fully grown, the adult weevil eats its way out of the grain/seed.

 

Read more here.

Well said. You beat me to the punch.As a pest exterminator I get a lot of calls for this problem.All you can do is throw the food out. Weevils  can also be found in flour, gravy mix  biscuits, cake mix etc.

[chickenslegs]

12 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

My wife, the genius, does this:

 

Simply put the food with the insects in it, over a low heat (on a flat pan, or anything metal and flat).

 

The offending insects will simply crawl away to get away from the heat!

 

Then eat your insect-free food!

Or in the sunshine.

[xtrnuno41]

extra protein, good for muscle

[rickudon]

This is why most breakfast cereals in Thailand come in little 20 gram or less customer proof foil packets. No storage issues! Obviously any unprocessed grains or seeds come with a risk of insects, packaged or not.