Insect infestation in the pantry is one of the most common causes of post-purchase food waste, along with foods allowed to expire (or perish). Unbearable insidiousness, while without health risks, can be avoided with a few simple precautions. The anti-waste instructions.
Pantry bugs, guests and favorite destinations
Packages of pasta and baked goods, bags of rice and flour are the favorite destinations of small intruders, who find shelter and food in quantity there. The most frequent visitors are moths (
Plodia interpunctella
,
known as ‘butterflies’) and wheat weevils (or calanders,
Sitophilus granarius
). Awls-in name and in fact-are as small (3-5 mm) as they are biting, to the point that they easily puncture plastic and paper packaging.
The microclimate of the kitchen is the ‘ultimate‘ for insect growth and reproduction, due to optimal temperature and humidity being maintained throughout the 4 seasons. Not surprisingly, food preservation in rural tradition takes place in cool, dry rooms. Dough and flours were kept in cupboards-also used to store and renew sourdough-because of the thermal insulation provided by wood.
Storing food, 4 useful tricks
Protecting food in the pantry from unwanted guests-and from unnecessarily overstaying its shelf life-is really simple; however, some steps must be taken.
1) Cool and dark. Turning off the heating in the kitchen is the first useful, if not sufficient, expedient. Food should be kept sheltered or at least insulated as best as possible from sources of heat (e.g., ovens, stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines) and light. In fact, both factors contribute to the degradation of foods, all the more so for those that are natural (e.g., fruits and vegetables) and minimally processed (e.g., fruit and vegetables). oils and preserves, honey, wines).
2) FIFO (‘
First-In-First-Out
‘). The rule-base of industrial logistics can also be applied in public establishments and within the home. Products that have been purchased the longest should be consumed first. To prevent the ‘postwar stock’ from degrading into a pantry and reduce the supply of ‘historic residences’ to small unwelcome guests.
3) Larva-proof seals. The most effective ‘insect-proof’ barriers are glass (or ceramic) containers with airtight stoppers. Metal boxes may also be fine, provided, however, that direct contact of food with metal is avoided (thus keeping them in their original packaging, if even opened).
4) Natural repellents. To prevent insect infestations, it is useful to store a few small cotton bags with bay leaves (or cloves, pepper, lavender seeds) next to food. The repellent intensity can be amplified and renewed by adding a few drops of laurel or citronella essential oils.
Insects, controls and pest control. How to avoid waste
Visual inspection. The traces of unwelcome guests are unmistakable. Small holes on the wrappings indicate the presence of weevils, while so-called silky burrs–of web-like texture but denser, yellowish-white color and pungent odor–reveal moth infestation.
Sanitation. Once the infestation is established, it is imperative to empty the closet and subject it to meticulous sanitation, with special care given to corners where eggs and larvae may be found. Steam generators are the most effective and environmentally friendly tools, unfortunately also expensive. White vinegar is itself a natural and effective biocide, but inexpensive. (1)
Save-waste. However, insect-infested foods should be sealed tightly in garbage bags, which should be placed immediately in confinement, outside the home, to avoid contamination of other environments. Instead, foods that are only ‘suspected’ of potential infestation (since they are close to infested ones) can be spared from wastage by heat blasting (-30°C for 48 hours, then bring back to room temperature).
Dario Dongo, Renzo Pierpaolo Turco
Notes
(1) The extraordinary disinfectant power of vinegar is supported by numerous scientific studies, including.
– Claudia Cortesia et al. (2014). ‘Acetic Acid, the Active Component of Vinegar, Is an Effective Tuberculocidal Disinfectant‘. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00013-14,
– Entani E, Asai M, Tsujihata S, Tsukamoto Y, Ohta M. (1998). ‘Antibacterial action of vinegar against food-borne pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli O157:H7’. 61:953-959
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Doctor in Food Science and Technology, Specialized in Safety and Quality Management in Agri-food supply chains, Secretary of the disciplinary council of the Order of Food Technologists of Sicily and Sardinia, Food blogger.
