Finding light brown inanimate matter in my flour!

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 20 2007 Posts: 4464

This happened once before and I threw it out. It doesn't look like bugs. kind of like tan/light brown shvings or something. Is it improperly processed flour?

I found them when I was sifting the flour to make challah. Anyone had this experience?

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

No, but what brand is it, can I ask?
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I also found this recently in Kemach brand which I almost always use! it was so bizarre. we looked at it really closely. almost looked like the "shell" what's the word--outside of an insect...help me here...tired today.

we just tossed it.
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Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

I was hoping you wouldn't say Kemach. Confused

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

because now I'm going to be paranoid. Smile

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48145

are you sure it's not from the paper bag of the flour, or from a (wet or dirty) spoon you might have dipped into the flour ?

yes it was very distinct looking, throughout the flour and unlike anything I've seen before. and I seal up my flour as soon as it comes in the house. don't stick spoons or utensils in the flour.

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 20 2007 Posts: 4464

I also put my flour away immediately into sealed plastic bags and I use it quickly especially the high gluten one and yes it's kemach. I keep part of the label in the bag so I can differentiate the high gluten from the regular. DARN!

I wonder if it's really buggies though because and I admit I have no experience here but it looks like it could be from a grain. which is why I thought maybe it wasn't processed right.

This is when I really get annoyed there's no grocery store nearby.

and there's tons of the pieces. I think I sifted 1/3 of the bag and there's at lest 20 there in the sifter.

I was slightly disturbed because it went through my sifter somewhat...and yeah, there were an extraordinary amount of pieces.

I only noticed it one time. but it definitely made me check more closely!

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 20 2007 Posts: 4464

Yes, tons. I'm now more curious what this stuff is. do you think calling the company would help? Oh and it also went through my sifter. I'm glad I'm not the only one at least. Well somewhat glad. I never would have known had the recipe not called for me to sift a 5lb bag of flour too! Now I want to sift everything!

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 20 2007 Posts: 4464

Okay guess what, it's grain. It's part of the flour. Why it sometimes gets in I don't know but that's what the guy who answered the phone at Kemach told me. I'm very glad I don't have to throw my flour away!

Okay back to sifting with me then.

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

I'm glad you posted anyway, even if I'm paranoid now. Smile

you're so industrious basHinda. thanks

When white flour is processed, they don't always get out 100% of the bran so those are the little brown "shavings" you see in there. If you buy flour from the matzo bakery right after Pesach (to avoid chometz sheavar olav hapesach) you will see lots of brown as they process the flour for matzos even less and is "partially whole wheat." I noticed on the bags of Mishpacha flour it recomends sifting it to avoid complicated halachic issues. I bought an electric sifter two years ago and starting sifting after there was a whole batch of Kemach flour with bugs. No need to be paranoid. A decent sifter won't let bugs through

I used to use Dependable, then realized it was bleached. Confused

anyway, the last time I used it was also the first time I used my new electric sifter, and I found the shell of a bug.

I was told by the mashgiach of our Vaad hakashrus that yoshon flour needs to be sifted with the finer sifter (very tiny holes in the mesh), since it's much more prone to bugs, Kemach is yoshon flour and so is Dependable.

And it takes a full half hour for my sifter to go through a bag. Sometimes I don't have so much time....

Anyway, we aren't makpid on yoshon in chabad, so I'm fine with the regular flour, and then I can use my other sifter that 's done in five minutes.
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