You ask. Just like any cooking ingredients, flour can go bad if not stored properly. Since flour has already become a regular in every pantry, there are even alternative flours for those with gluten sensitivity.
Flour is used in many of your favorite baked desserts, bread, for pasta and noodles, pie and pizza crust, as a thickening agent for soups and sauces and a lot more. For that, we have our ancient ancestors to thank. They are responsible for discovering the process of grinding grains and seeds to turn them into fine powder back in BC. Different recipes might require different types of flour.
Because the demand for specific types of flour has emerged over time, many kinds of flour are now available in the market.
They usually have a best-by or best-before date on the packaging. However, flour will still be good after the best-before date provided if it is stored properly. Exposure to air and moisture cause the natural fats in the flour to oxidize which will decline in quality over time. You can easily know flour has gone rancid from its smell. Most flour has almost no odor while some nut and alternative flours have a sweet or nutty smell.
Spoiled flour smells musty, sour and sometimes like rubber or Play-Doh. Aside from spoiled flour, you should also watch out for flour beetles also known as weevils. Improper storage can cause the presence of these bugs. Weevils are completely harmless to the human body. Kill the bugs immediately to prevent discoloration and foul odor in the flour.
Freezing your flour for a few days or a week will kill these bugs. After the bugs are killed, the flour is still safe and usable. Follow these steps to tell if your flour has weevils:. To get rid of weevils, sift your flour thoroughly to separate the weevils from your flour. Or do your best to avoid infestation in the first place. Spoiled flour can give your baked goodies a strange taste and texture.
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More From Food. Does Sunscreen Really Expire? Are Potatoes Gluten-Free? If you put your flour in the fridge, be sure to keep it away from moisture and water to prevent mold. This is best done by sealing it in an airtight container, such as a plastic bag or food bin 8.
Keep in mind that you should let refrigerated or frozen flour reach room temperature before using it. This will prevent lumping. White flour lasts longer than whole-wheat and alternative varieties due to its lower fat content.
Thus, your flour may still be safe to eat even after the best-by date 9. The best way to determine whether your flour is safe is to smell it. While fresh flour has a neutral odor, bad flour smells off — it can be stale, musty, or almost sour. It may also look discolored. Additionally, if your flour has come into contact with water or moisture, large clumps of mold may appear. In this case, you should immediately discard the entire bag. The best way to tell if flour has gone bad is to smell it.
If it smells rancid or shows signs of mold, you should throw it out. When flour goes rancid, its molecular structure changes — which may produce harmful compounds However, no recent studies have revealed any detrimental effects of eating rancid flour.
While not all molds are harmful, some can produce dangerous chemicals known as mycotoxins. These compounds can trigger symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea Mycotoxins are also linked to other serious illnesses, including cancer and liver disease, depending on the amount eaten and duration of exposure 12 , Flour has a long shelf life but generally goes bad after 3—8 months.
White flour may last longest due to its lower fat content, while whole-wheat and gluten-free varieties spoil sooner. There are many reasons for needing an alternative to self-rising flour. Whether you simply ran out or want a gluten-free option, here are the 12 best….
Many healthy foods can be stored long-term without spoiling.
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