Out of date flour

[Tilly2]

I have just made a banana cake for my husband and have just noticed that the flour box has best before July 2009 on it. I don't bake very often, as I don't eat cake, and I cannot remember if this is new flour in an old box, or old flour in an old box.

If it is old self raising, will it be safe for him to eat or should I give it to the birds?

[jomifl]

A common pest found in flour is in fact not a weevil but a reddish brown beetle about 3-3mm long of the genus Stegobium. Remember that if there are a few adult beetles visible there are probably quite a lot more of their smaller and less visible larvae and their faeces. Enjoy them baked for that extra 'je ne sais quoi'

[Hopkirk]

Probably ups the protein content.

[welshlibranr]

no idea hopkirk, but they do!........that's why I never keep flour for long!.......

[owdhamer]

What have the birds done wrong?

[Tilly2]

They must be in the flour when you buy it. Perhaps, the older the flour, the more they multiply and, thus, you can see them. I once bought some country soup mixture containing dried peas barley and beans. That ended up a crawly mess!

[chi-chi66]

....oh Tilly, I'm glad it's not just me! I hardly ever bake and I know I have a
bag I'm sure well out of date in the cupboard. Tomorrow its going in the bin
after reading this thread!! hahaha

[chi-chi66]

in fact I'm going through all my cupboard items, I buy them, forget them,
and still expect them to be usable when I think about manking something!

[heathfield]

Any flour may well have weevil eggs in it. Weevil eggs are smaller than the grains of flour, and so aren't separated out in the milling process. You can kill off the eggs (and any weevils that have hatched) by placing the bag of flour in the freezer.

[Tilly2]

That's a good idea, heathfield. Do you then have to defrost the flour before you use it? Or will it be like crumble mixture and still be 'flowing'.?