Insects in bags of rice

[MJCM]

As my wife is not at home and we (I) have run out of rice I just bought a kg Bag of rice at a grocery store.

 

Normally we get the rice from the BIL but as they are very busy with the Funeral of the FIL I thought not to disturb them.

 

Oke so I bought this rice, and when I poured it in the container I saw all those small black insects in it.

 

How to get rid of those insects? And can you still eat the rice?

 

TiA

 

Ps: Just leave them in and cook them with the rice (for extra vitamins) is not an option ????

[Moonlover]

Boil them with the rice and eat them. Good source of protein.

[jak2002003]

They are grain weevils.  They are actually quite safe to eat.  

 

They eat the rice and so lower its nutritional quality though. 

 

You can't get rid of them if they are already in the rice.  That would take hours of picking through the rice..

 

I suppose you could pick them out of the a portion of rice that you were washing before cooking as they will float to the top. 

 

Persoly I would say iys best to dispose of the rice and buy a fresh bag.  It's not like is very expensive.  

 

Also you don't want some to get out and set up home in your kitchen.... Where they will get into any new rice you buy unless its kept in air tight containers. 

[MJCM]

5 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Boil them with the rice and eat them. Good source of protein.

You clearly did not read the last line of the OP??

[MJCM]

3 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

I suppose you could pick them out of the a portion of rice that you were washing before cooking as they will float to the top. 

I have totally run out of rice so that is a good idea.

 

3 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Persoly I would say iys best to dispose of the rice and buy a fresh bag.  It's not like is very expensive.  

Normally we get the Rice from the BIL (his rice doesn't have any of those insects (it seems)) but as they are very busy with the Funeral so I didn't want to bother them.

 

I will use a bit of the rice for daily cooking and dispose of the rest and in 2 days (I hope) will get fresh rice of the BIL

 

5 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Also you don't want some to get out and set up home in your kitchen.... Where they will get into any new rice you buy unless its kept in air tight containers. 

Yes our rice is kept in a Air tight container.

 

Thx for the advice, appreciated.

[worgeordie]

When you wash the rice before cooking they will float out , 

I always put my 5 Kg bags of rice in the freezer to kill them

and their eggs.

regards worgeordie

[proton]

You wash them out before cooking

[MJCM]

Just now, worgeordie said:

When you wash the rice before cooking they will float out , 

I always put my 5 Kg bags of rice in the freezer to kill them

and their eggs.

regards worgeordie

Good idea. How long do you leave them in the freezer?

 

[degrub]

If you are going to use it up quickly, just keep the bag in the freezer between use.

A little moisture will condense on the rice each time you open the bag.  I usually leave it in for 3 days. No data to support that though. 

[MJCM]

6 minutes ago, degrub said:

If you are going to use it up quickly, just keep the bag in the freezer between use.

A little moisture will condense on the rice each time you open the bag.  I usually leave it in for 3 days. No data to support that though. 

No we usually don't use it up that quickly. I will try it with a new bag leave it in the fridge for a day or 2 and see what that brings. Problem is that you can't even see the rice in the bag I bought, so it's pot luck.  But will look for another bag / brand where I can see the rice and see if it has those <.....> in them.

Edited December 12, 2022 by MJCM
Added in the fridge

[jvs]

You can also place it on a large plate and place it in the sun,the insects will leave.

[MJCM]

Just now, jvs said:

You can also place it on a large plate and place it in the sun,the insects will leave.

Good idea as well, going to try that immediately

[Celsius]

Return it for a full refund ????

[MJCM]

Just now, Celsius said:

Return it for a full refund ????

Read the OP please, bag is already opened

[ThailandRyan]

Question is "Was it a brand name rice in a sealed bag sold at the "Market" or one of those hand packed bags with a rubber band around the top many sell in the local Talad.  I personally would not but anything that had not been processed from a Talad, and was rice they packed from their own crop.  BIL probably takes good care of their rice crop and the rice is dried properly out in the sun and then possibly processed at a mill and not by hand.  Best to toss out what you bought and go buy a bag from 7-11 or one of the regular markets and not a Talad, but if your out far away then you just need to look at the bag your going to buy closely.  I did that when I lived out in the village 30km from a store, where we grew our own rice and corn.  The rice was laid out on a tarp on the side of the road to dry, picked through and then taken to the mill.  A few of the farmers tended to mill there own to save money and never let the rice dry out completely in the hot sun and the eggs would hatch after being placed in the bags........again YMMV

[MJCM]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Question is "Was it a brand name rice in a sealed bag sold at the "Market" or one of those hand packed bags with a rubber band around the top many sell in the local Talad.

This was bought from a grocery store in a plastic sealed bag.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, MJCM said:

This was bought from a grocery store in a plastic sealed bag.

Then my post is basically moot.  It could have also been delivered poorly or with  the floods never processed correctly.  All food stuffs have issues sometimes, like Milk in a carton if left out in the store to long after delivery before being placed in the cooler.  Never buy a bulging container of anything....

 

Best of luck getting what you need.

[lopburi3]

16 minutes ago, jvs said:

You can also place it on a large plate and place it in the sun,the insects will leave.

Indeed that is the normal method - direct sun like when drying fish.

[MJCM]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Best of luck getting what you need.

Thx appreciated. I will look better next time, but this was the first time I needed to buy rice as we normally get the white rice from the BIL.

My wife only buys that "Red" rice in bags from a grocery store to mix with the normal white rice.

 

I already messaged my wife to bring back rice when she is done at the Funeral (2 days hopefully)

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

When you wash the rice before cooking they will float out , 

I always put my 5 Kg bags of rice in the freezer to kill them

and their eggs.

regards worgeordie

What about their eggs? 

[MJCM]

Just now, placeholder said:

What about their eggs? 

What I have read about thus far (could be totally wrong) is that they lay their eggs in the RICE, so if you freeze the rice, you kill the insects and also their eggs. The insects will wash out when you wash the rice but you still will eat the eggs together with the rice (cooked that is)

 

[placeholder]

25 minutes ago, MJCM said:

What I have read about thus far (could be totally wrong) is that they lay their eggs in the RICE, so if you freeze the rice, you kill the insects and also their eggs. The insects will wash out when you wash the rice but you still will eat the eggs together with the rice (cooked that is)

 

That's my understanding too. To kill the weevils via freezing can take a fair amount of time depending on the temperature of your freezer. I looked that up a long time ago and don't recall the numbers.

[MJCM]

14 minutes ago, placeholder said:

That's my understanding too. To kill the weevils via freezing can take a fair amount of time depending on the temperature of your freezer. I looked that up a long time ago and don't recall the numbers.

Min 19c is ours set to. If you can find the numbers please let me know.

 

But I guess SWMBO will be totally against it to freeze rice

 

Edit: Found it

 

Quote

The bags need to be frozen at 0°F for at least 4 days to kill the insects.  There should be no difficulty in accomplishing this for the smaller bags within 4 days as long as reasonable cold air movement occurs over the surfaces of the bags.

https://www.gcca.org/resources/industry-topics/what-best-way-handle-rice-contains-weevils

 

So 0°F is approx -18°c

Edited December 12, 2022 by MJCM

[Rimmer]

Troll post removed

[TheFishman1]

Wow, all the replies about a bag of rice with some bugs in it must be a very boring day for you guys out there, TIT

[MJCM]

 

 

Just now, TheFishman1 said:

Wow, all the replies about a bag of rice with some bugs in it must be a very boring day for you guys out there, TIT

It just means people trying to be helpful for which I am very grateful, and I do hope when you open a topic asking for advice/help. that you get helpful responses as well instead of .... remarks.

 

[tandor]

just spread your rice out on a plastic sheet in the hot sun and they will scatter quick smart...same goes for ants or any other bugs. The direct sun will also kill any fungi or mold spores. If mentioned elsewhere, apologies.

[MJCM]

2 minutes ago, tandor said:

just spread your rice out on a plastic sheet in the hot sun and they will scatter quick smart...same goes for ants or any other bugs. The direct sun will also kill any fungi or mold spores. If mentioned elsewhere, apologies.

Thanks, yes already mentioned elsewhere, but not so elaborate as your post especially the kill fungi or mold spores bit

 

 

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, MJCM said:

I saw all those small black insects in it.

I have the same problem. Before cooking, I first give the rice 4 or 5 washings/rinses with fresh water in a saucepan. The tiny black insects will float to the surface. Decanter the water with the insects to leave clean rice ready for cooking. 

[MJCM]

4 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

I have the same problem. Before cooking, I first give the rice 4 or 5 washings/rinses with fresh water in a saucepan. The tiny black insects will float to the surface. Decanter the water with the insects to leave clean rice ready for cooking. 

Thx Bill.

 

Also some good options have emerged from the thread

 

1- Freeze the bag of rice for a couple of Days to kill the insects and the eggs

2- Put the Rice on something so you spread it out and put that out in the sun, the insects will leave

 

Both options still of course mean wash/rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking ???? 

Edited December 12, 2022 by MJCM
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