Topic started by Ivete (@ pr2-ts.telepac.pt) on Tue Apr 29 15:50:48 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I've noticed some bugs in some of the rice I have at home. They're typical of rice. How can I stop them from multiplying? I don't want to throw away the rice. It is smoked and delicious.
Can someone help me?

Responses:

• From: Chitra (@ user-0ccsvgs.cable.mindspring.com) on: Tue Apr 29 19:35:10 EDT 2003
  
  Hello Ivete,
  Keep the rice in the freezer for a week. This will destroy the bugs and the cold temperature arrests the multiplication of bugs by destrying the eggs. If there is enough space in the freezer I keep all the items (rice, rice flour, gram flour etc)I buy from the Indian stores in the freezer for a week. Then I take them out and store them in air tight containers. Hope this helps.
  
  
• From: Ivete (@ pr2-ts.telepac.pt) on: Tue Apr 29 19:45:35 EDT 2003
  
  Dear Chitra,
  Thank you for the advice. That's a good idea. I'll arrange some space in the freezer for that.
  I'll do the same with all the other items you mentioned, too.
  Thanks again!
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Tue Apr 29 21:43:13 EDT 2003
  
  Hello IVETE,
  The best way to keep out the bugs from ice is ,as follows.
  Go to the nearest chemist.Buy Boric Acid Powder.
  (Don't worry, it is harmless ).
  Add the powder 1 spoonful for five kgs of Rice.
  Mix thoroughly with hands.
  Presto............ All the bugs/Larvae/Eggs would die immediately and no new infection will happen.
  When you are using the rice, wash thoroughly (you do that always) and use.
  We have been using this method in our house for the last 60 years.
  And if you want to preserve wheat, we annoint Wheat with pure castor oil !!!
  Not even a single bug gets in for over an year. !!
  Try it out.!!
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Tue Apr 29 21:44:20 EDT 2003
  
  And mind you. We use the same boric acid powder for all the Dhalls and channas also.
  
  
• From: Arvind Kumar (@ dhcp065-024-190-114.columbus.rr.com) on: Tue Apr 29 22:53:53 EDT 2003
  
  This is what I do - seems to work :
  Flatten the rice bag so that thickness is the same all over. Put it on flat side in microwave and microwave it on high for 5-7 second, Flip it over, and repeat microwave. Then I make the bag stand on side and microwave again. Each exposure is 5-7 seconds.
  At first I was worried that radiation will not be enough to kill them and a bug might mutate and become huge. :-)
  
  But that never happened, so far. Bugs never survived this much rdiation.
  
  Killing bugs by freezing seems a better idea. I will try that - at least I will not worry about a tennis ball size bug waiting in rice to munch on my fingers.!!
  
  
• From: Ivete (@ pr2-ts.telepac.pt) on: Wed Apr 30 05:48:53 EDT 2003
  
  Dear Mr. Trivedi,
  Thank you so much for the tip. That's very helpful. I didn't know anything about Boric Acid. That's a great help when you have lot's of rice stored at home like myself. We're big rice fans here at home.
  Thank you so much!
  
  Dear Arvind Kumar,
  Thanks for the good mood!
  
  
• From: Revathy (@ an1.emirates.net.ae) on: Mon May 5 15:34:13 EDT 2003
  
  Hi Chitra,
  Thanks for your practical & useful tips; one small doubt-- can we directly transfer the rice flour, gram flour etc. from the freezer to the shelves or should they be brought to room temperature first. Do we need to spread them on newspaper or something to remove the chill /moisture ?
  
  
• From: Chitra (@ user-0ccsvgs.cable.mindspring.com) on: Mon May 5 16:59:54 EDT 2003
  
  Hello Revathy,
  After removing the packets of rice or flour from the freezer, I transfer the flour or rice to a container and keep it on the kitchen table till it warms up to the room temperature. I close the container with the lid only after it is warmed up and then store it in the pantry.
  
  
• From: LL (@ aca46477.ipt.aol.com) on: Tue May 20 12:55:28 EDT 2003
  
  mix a handful of peppercorns in a bag (5/10lbs) of rice or the storage box. You can take the pepper out whilst washing the rice.
  
  
• From: Ivete (@ pr2-ts.telepac.pt) on: Wed May 21 08:46:06 EDT 2003
  
  Dear LL,
  Thanks for your tip. I appreciate it.
  Bye!
  
  
• From: Idiappam (@ cache138.156ce.scvmaxonline.com.sg) on: Wed May 21 13:59:07 EDT 2003
  
  Why don't you let those bugs eat those rice. Then you eat the bugs and the leftover rice. Comes to square one, doesn't it.
  
  
• From: sharm (@ proxy22.ihug.com.au) on: Mon Jun 16 07:46:27 EDT 2003
  
  what happens if we're herbivores?
  
  
• From: Idiappam (@ cache138.156ce.maxonline.com.sg) on: Tue Jun 17 06:45:09 EDT 2003
  
  Then you become omnivores - after all you are gonna kill the worm for the silk!
  
  
• From: sunflower (@ veron-ext.nus.edu.sg) on: Wed Jun 25 05:58:14 EDT 2003
  
  You can put a few pieces of garlics together when you store the rice you will not see any more bugs...
  
  
• From: Ivete (@ pr2-ts.telepac.pt) on: Wed Jun 25 11:22:35 EDT 2003
  
  Thank you, sunflower for the tip!
  
  
• From: Alison (@ 1cust141.tnt34.dfw9.da.uu.net) on: Sat Jul 12 15:48:05 EDT 2003
  
  Hey Ivete,
  heres a good tip:TRY CLOSING THE RICE CONTAINER TIGHTLY AND STORE THE RICE SOMEWHERE WITH NO BUGS!!! (Good advice, huh!?)Actually common sense....
  
  Idiappam,
  YOU DONT EAT SILK SO THAT DOESNT MEAN THAT WE BECOME OMNIVORES!!!!
  
  
• From: Kimberly (@ adsl-68-251-154-88.dsl.ipltin.ameritech.net) on: Sat May 15 10:50:02
  
  I tried putting the rice in a large glass container with a twist on lid - absolutely air tight. This did not eliminate the bugs, so I would not recommend this method.
  
  I am glad to find there are other ways to avoid the bugs. We really love bashmati rice!
  
  
• From: NANDHINI (@ ns2.annauniv.edu) on: Sun May 16 04:21:29 EDT 2004
  
  If bugs visiting your rice container, it means ricebran is not properly removed from the rice.First remove it, if possible. Spread more neem leaves on the surface where you keep the rice bag. Or better change the shop from where you buy rice.
  
  
• From: Kimberly (@ adsl-68-249-101-46.dsl.ipltin.ameritech.net) on: Mon May 31 04:47:09
  
  Thank you Nandhini. What is ricebran and how do you remove it? And what are neem leaves? This information might prove very useful.
  
  
• From: Ocean Thundermoon (@ pool-70-17-128-123.wma.east.verizon.net) on: Wed Aug 18 20:26:09
  
  Just a note on washing rice...this practice removes the healthy nutrients that your eating rice for in the first place.
  
  I would recommend against it. Try using the other tips to rid your rice of bugs before you resort to washing. If you're going to wash your rice, you mights as well just eat the bag it came in!
  
  
• From: Neha (@ cache-dtc-ae09.proxy.aol.com) on: Fri Aug 20 03:07:05 EDT 2004
  
  hey just out of curiosity why shldnt u wahs rice and define washing? i mean b4 i boil my rice i give it a lil rince or i sometimes when making biryani soak the rcie 4 half an hour, what do u mean by washing. in addition wouldnt u be contradicting ur self, becuz ultimatly we boil the rice i think that would deplete any nutrients!
  
  
• From: Cindy (@ 61.2.34.3) on: Sat Aug 21 22:09:50 EDT 2004
  
  The best way we found and has been using for years is to spread some vep (neem leaves - to see the picture - http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/aza_ind_1145.jpg) in the rice container when u have large amount to store. The leaves can be removed when you cook. or pack the leaves in a muslin and keep that in the conainer.
  
  
• From: archana (@ host-66-90-248-192.rev.o1.com) on: Sun Aug 29 17:46:55 EDT 2004
  
  hello everyone
  We suddenly have a problem of roaches in our apartment. they are everywhere in stored foods. floor. Can anyone suggest a home remedy to get rid of the roaches?
  
  
  
• From: the professor (@ cpe-66-91-47-75.hawaii.rr.com) on: Sun Oct 24 05:21:04
  
  flour mites and the microwave
  
  the microwave idea is false. the bugs are too small to be killed by microwaves.. and far too dry... i could go into the science of microwaves. But an easy proover for it is; find a few pharo ants.. house ants sugar ants, whatever they are called in your area, and put them in the microwave.. occasionally 1 in 10 will die.. just happened to wander thru too many waves.. but for the most part .. they arent affected. Too dry .. Too small.
  
  Freezing is one way.. must be well into freezing for at least 3 days.
  Boric acid????? someone said that.. i am not an MD but i would consult one before doing that, as a bottle of boric acid in front of me warns STRICTLY of NOT ingesting it and advises medical attention if done.
  
  throw away the food and bug bomb the house. sad.. but these things can thrive on a crumb for weeks.
  
  i recently removed a plastic measuring cup from its drawer.. it must not have been cleaned well.. although i could not see a coating of flour.. i could see a coating of mites. (i live in the tropics... everything is "mitey".
  
  anyway.. my 2 cents
  
  Doc
  
  
  
  

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