Dear Jim,
I thought that due to the recent influx of newbies on your site, I would send this warning to not do as I did. Last year, I lost a lot of my stored food as I left it in the original packets in which it was shipped. I ended up with a major infestation of cupboard beetles, losing food and having to steam clean my cupboards. The bad news is thee bugs reproduce unbelievably quickly. The good news is the die just as quickly, and won’t harm you if you eat them, but they sure are unsightly. It’s sugars and starches they go for, even eating through cardboard, cellophane, thin plastic etc. I now keep all my grains, dried pulses and sugar in heavy-duty food-grade plastic or metal containers. Regards, – Luddite Jean.
JWR Replies: Thanks for mentioning that. BTW, I describe a simple “do-it-yourself” CO2 packing method in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. With CO2 packaging, you can protect even foods that have already been contaminated with adult insects, insect pupae, insect larvae, or insect eggs.