bugs in my chickpeas
Posted by permanentgrin on Aug 06, 2008 · Member since Mar 2006 · 1789 posts
I was going to make chana masala for dinner last night. When I drained my soaked chickpeas to cook them I noticed a lot of them had holes and a few had a black spot, so I cut open one of the spots and it was a little beetle!
I ended up having to throw away 2 lbs of chickpeas because of those stupid bugs (much as I hate to waste food, I wasn't going to pick through to find the few without holes/bugs). Luckily, I think the bugs were dead when I got the chickpeas. None of my other beans/dry food seems to have them. But still...I was really looking forward to chana masala. >:(
I wonder if I write to whoever the chickpeas came from if they would give me a free bag? I don't want to be petty, but that was a lot of chickpeas.
I bet that they would. I have always had good results when contacting the company/manufacturer with a complaint of some kind. After all why should you have to pay for something you could not use?
omg I think I know what you're talking about. Were they really skinny, small beetles?
I had an INVASION of those suckers, I think they might have come from my cereal. I didn't think much of it but before long they were in EVERYTHING and I had to store my new food in another closet because they got into everything in my pantry. If I were you I would start storing new food in another space for a few weeks until you're sure those bugs aren't in anything else.
I just noticed you're from Australia and I'm from Houston, Texas, but it would be odd if these were the same bugs. I would take the precaution just the same.
Throw everything in your cupboard away! Anything that is not tightly sealed in an airtight container (everything in plastic has to go!). You could have a nasty bug infestation. They lay eggs and they'll hatch in everything. I had an infestation once because I didn't know any better and I had to throw away nearly $200 worth of goods. It sucks, sure, but I've been careful ever since. Go through your cupboard very well and check everything with a fine tooth comb!
Sounds like larder (pantry) beetles/grain moths. Previous posts were correct...
Do you ever notice small moths with ragged-edged wings in your kitchen? These are grain moths. There are traps (pheremone based) that are natural and safe to use for these. Try your local natural foods store or online.
Another indication is "webs". These critters will spin webs in flour, herbs, etc. They make holes in the plastic bags, get in and infest the product.
it's possible that the beans were transported with eggs already inside the bag. Whenever I buy grains or beans, I freeze them for at least 2 weeks, which kills eggs and larvae, and then transfer them to a large clean jar for storage. And sometimes I'll even just keep them in the freezer.
It's gross, but there's no way to avoid the eggs and larvae on dried goods. Just like hair and bugs in canned goods. Just try not to think about it.
They definitely weren't moths...I've had those before in cornmeal and they didn't get into anything else, luckily. They weren't the skinny beetles either (weevils?)...they were small black oval shaped beetles, all curled up inside the holes.
It was a new bag of chickpeas that had the holes and I really think they must have been dead already when I got them. I'll keep an eye on all my other stuff but I haven't found any loose bugs or other beans with holes. For future reference I'll inspect beans more closely before I buy them and I'll freeze them first.
Thanks for all the advice. ;)b
They definitely weren't moths...I've had those before in cornmeal and they didn't get into anything else, luckily. They weren't the skinny beetles either (weevils?)...they were small black oval shaped beetles, all curled up inside the holes.
It was a new bag of chickpeas that had the holes and I really think they must have been dead already when I got them. I'll keep an eye on all my other stuff but I haven't found any loose bugs or other beans with holes. For future reference I'll inspect beans more closely before I buy them and I'll freeze them first.
Thanks for all the advice. ;)b
I had those, too. I saw them once (in my rice) and threw the bag away. A couple weeks later, they were EVERYWHERE. I was freaked out and spent two hours scrubbing my cabinets after throwing everything away.
They were probably weevils. They are very common. I found this online:
Methods of Control
Sanitation is the best method of control and prevention at present. Removal of all cereal refuse does away with possible breeding places for the insects. Therefore, controlling insect pests in stored cereal products should include the following steps:
* Discard all infested foodstuffs and place all newly purchased flour, sugar, breakfast food and similar products in canister-type containers.
* Thoroughly clean the cupboard and storage bins of all refuse material. Be sure to clean out the cracks along the shelves and top of the cupboard. Scrub out these areas with soap and water, adding a little household disinfectant.
* Purchase foods in quantities small enough so they may be used up rapidly.
* Keep all food storage space clean at all times.
* Spray the shelves or other infested areas lightly, particularly cracks where shelves and cupboards come together. Suggested insecticides include resmethrin, sumithrin, tetramethrin, permethrin and pyrethins.
Caution: All foodstuffs and cooking utensils should be removed before spraying. All sprayed surfaces should be allowed to dry thoroughly before packaged foods or utensils are placed back. Small children should not be allowed to come in contact with the insecticide until the sprayed surface has dried completely.
* When spray dries, cover shelves with clean, fresh paper before replacing packaged food and utensils.
Nonchemical control: Either destroy the infested products, or salvage them by heating in an oven at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for one-half hour, or super-cooling by placing in a deep freeze at 0 F for four days.
ok, so is this something to do with summertime and the weather? it's really hot and humid here, so is this facilitating buggies in our groceries?
at least i'm not alone with this problem.