Can I freeze flour??

Question

I have a little pest problem here. Tiny moths to be precise!! I have a cupboard full of various gluten free flour. I was advised to freeze cereal based items before storing them in airtight jars. Is it OK to freeze flour? I have also heard of "baking" flour to achieve a similiar effect but can't find any information.

Answer 1

I have always just stored flour in airtight jars as soon as the packet is opened.  I have never heard of freezing it first, but it would probably kill any pests that were already in the flour, but that wouldn't really help as they would still be in it, just dead.

Answer 2

No. Flour actually has tiny tiny tiny little "organisms" if you will, inside it. If you leave flour for too long these turn into maggoty looking things called weevils. I was seiving some flour once and they were left in the bottom of the seive - not nice.

And anyway, when you defrost the flour it'll go damp. There'd be no point in using it anyway. Flours not that expensive, just buy it when you need it. Buy some air tight tubs and put it inside there.

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Answer 3

No. You can cool it but don't freeze it.

Answer 4

My mom has always froze her flour.  It's fine, it just makes it cold and there are no little bugs!  I bake all the time, and I use it straight from the freezer and it's fine.

Answer 5

no do not freeze flour it will make your p***s shrink

Answer 6

my boyfriends mum keeps her flour in the freezer all the time. She is a little bit odd though, but she said that was because of pests and she hasn't got ill off of it or anything.

Answer 7

No it stays room temp.....of course you can.

Answer 8

dont freeze it, just put it in the refrigerator and it will be fine

Answer 9

No it ownt freeze shouldnt go out of date tho its like sugar??  

Answer 10

I always freeze my left over Flour but I think it will be fine if you just put it in the fridge =}

Answer 11

I think you can put it in there but it wont actually go solid because like coffee beans, it soesn't contain any water.  If something does not contain water/liduid then it will not freeze/solidfy.

I can't see why you cannot freeze it/

Put a little in a pot and freeze it and in a few hours have a look.

Answer 12

Hmm thats a good question..

Im not sure if u can freeze flour....

I mean i thought if u freeze it, then u leave it to defrost..

It will have water init.. and if u mix water with flour u kno what that makes?!

Answer 13

can you - YES

should you - NO

also baking the flour will pretty much kill off any nutrients in it

did you know little tiny moths are a good source of protein and contrary to popular belief are naturally gluten-free

basically if you want to freeze the flour to kill off any bugs you should be asking yourself WHY...you're just going to bake them anyway...and most likely the flour is already stale

you should store your flour in airtight (if the bugs are getting in its not airtight) containers.

Answer 14

You may absolutely freeze or refrigerate flour, depending on where you have the most room.  There is no effect, but be sure the container is absolutely air tight.  Place the flour inside a zip lock bag, and place that bag inside an airtight container. ANY frost crystals are liquid and will turn into small rocks in your flour.   You may avoid crystals by placing it in a fridge instead of a freezer, but then you must still guard against condensation.

You should also keep all of your nuts (walnuts, almonds) stored the same way.  The oil in nuts goes rancid very quickly at room temperature and makes a bitter and off taste -- and your bugs will LOVE nuts.  If you've got them in the flour, it won't be long before they migrate to your nuts and cereals and crackers. Check your nuts, cereals and grains for any "fuzzy shavings" or sticky cobwebby areas -- signs your nuts have been digested by bugs.

Answer 15

Yes - just make sure it's in an airtight container