February is 'use up' month

sashacat

don't be worried. It'll be fine...just go ahead and use it

Gers

sashacat wrote:

don't be worried. It'll be fine...just go ahead and use it

Thanks! I shook the packet and only saw settling and no other movement... bug free porridge. It was right at the back of the top shelf in the kitchen and had got forgotten about.. another saving there then for March.

:T

LilacLillie

What bugs can get into an unopened pack!
I'm worried now...................and I haven't even got any packets!
LL

HOLsale

LilacLillie wrote:

What bugs can get into an unopened pack!
I'm worried now...................and I haven't even got any packets!
LL

mealy bugs

their eggs are often present in grains and flours (if you've never seen a mealy bug in flour i'd be shocked! :eek: )

they lay dormant for ages and you'll have eaten a lot of grains and flour with the minute eggs in them never knowing (there's very little that can be done about this phenomenom)

but if these things lay out for long periods of time the eggs eventually hatch so you'l get bugs in sealed packaging

the normal recommended way of handling this is to store any flour/grains that you aren't planning to use for sometime in the freezer for 14 days this will kill off all the eggs and prevent you from ever getting the bugs

as for the suitability of the porridge... it's probably fine but i'd smell it first, inspect it well and maybe do a small test batch of porridge or such like

most flours and grains last for many years, probably the worst that will happen is that there may be a loss in flavour and nutrition

but i'm not a doctor or scientist so please proceed with caution, maybe do a google search on the matter first and then let us know what happened (for our own future reference)

[Deleted User]

I would second what HOL sale says. I had these bugs once around bags of flour on a shelf. Like little brown dots. Very hard to get rid of. I froze all my grains and flours when that happened. I have quite a lot of bread flour in stock in this house but It is all in sealed bags or boxes and so is all my cereal and grains. I wouldn`t bother using the porridge as flakes can turn sour.

HOLsale

kittie wrote:

. I wouldn`t bother using the porridge as flakes can turn sour.

thanks for that, i never knew that! however, porridge oats don't last long around here as we eat lots of porridge, homemade museli and i add the oats to a lot of my breads and cake breads (makes them soooo moist) so they don't stand a chance here

HOLsale

just thought, why not toss the flakes out for the birds? they'll probably eat them even if they're too sour for your tastes

Gers

kittie wrote:

I wouldn`t bother using the porridge as flakes can turn sour.

Will they be sour even if in the original and sealed packaging?? I'd be happy to do a test and/or scatter the oats for the birds but would be happier to use them up for morning cereal.

I didn't want to open the packet yet as there is still about 2 weeks worth left in an opened packet and the kitchen is being ripped out next Monday.

moggins

A good way of keeping mealy bugs out of your flour is to put it into a tin and add a couple of bay leaves

Sarahsaver

I'm having a great time using toiletries I had forgotten about, so its a face pack or a scrub every day, body lotion, using sachets of foundation that I got in magazines rather than buying a new one which i do need, but this will tide me over to the end of the month. I got a perfume out i havent used for months, only a little left so i will use that first.
Tonight I'm using yet more of the risotto rice mountain i seem to have accumulated!
My kids now automatically stand sauce bottles etc. upside down to get the last few drops out:)I think every month should be use up month really, not just this one.