Lindy Valdez
Flour is one of the foods that can be found in almost every household. But can flour go bad? That’s what matters.
Flour is one of the foods that we often keep for a long time, as we usually don’t use the whole package for a baking campaign. The baking ingredient then often remains for a long time. But is it a problem to store the food for a long time or can flour go bad? Everything about the shelf life of the food.
Can you use expired flour after the expiry date?
As with all other products, the same applies to flour: The best-before date on the packaging only indicates how long the manufacturer guarantees the food can be eaten.
If stored properly, you can still use flour
Store flour properly
When storing food, you should pay attention to the following two points:
- Flour should be stored in a dark and dry place
- The opened paper bag should be poured into an airtight container
Can flour go bad?
White flour belongs to the dry products. Low-moisture foods generally have a long shelf life, since bacteria can hardly multiply in them. You can therefore still use it several months after the best-before date.
Wholemeal flour spoils more quickly because, unlike white flour, it contains natural fats. These can go rancid quickly, so be sure to check this carefully once the flour has expired.
Check flour with these measures
Even though you can use white flour for baking and cooking well past the expiry date, it is important to check the food before using it. The reason is: Pests such as mealworms, food moths, and flour mites infest the product quite frequently.
Not only is this gross, but it can also pose serious health risks. This is how mealworms can transmit tapeworms to humans.
Therefore, always check whether you discover bugs in the flour before you use it. Important: Don’t just rely on your eyes, also control the smell. Flour mites are not so easy to spot with the naked eye. However, they emit a slightly sweet and at the same time acrid smell.
