black specs in cornmeal

[vegton]

Hi everyone! This is my first post so hopefully I'm putting this where it should be.

I'm new to baking and I just went to use some cornmeal and I saw that it had black specs in it. Last year we had some bugs in our pasta boxes and since then I've been PARANOID that bugs are in everything in my cupboards. Are these black specs normal? Or are they bug castings??

I looked through the cornmeal and don't see anything living so would there still be bugs in there if there had once been bugs?

Help!

 

[jennyema]

Were there a lot of them?

 

[anni]

I've never had black specs in my cornmeal; I'd toss it out.

 

[jennyema]

Its not uncommon to have a relative few darker specs amongst the yellow ones. But more than a few isn't good.

 

[Scotch]

I just checked my box of Alber's Yellow Corn Meal, which has been open for a year. There are a few darker pieces, maybe a couple in a teaspoonful, among the yellow specs. The darker ones are more brown than black, and they're the same size and shape as the yellow ones, so I'm confident that they're corn, not bug droppings.

BTW, I keep all my flour, sugar, cornmeal, etc., in ziplock bags or in the plastic bags in which I brought them home from the supermarket, tightly sealed with a twister. I transfer open boxes of cereal and grains (rice, etc.) to large sealable plastic containers. I haven't found a bug in anything in a long, long time, although we are occasionally plagued with silverfish in the cabinets.

 

[Uncle Bob]

A few dark specs in commercial cornmeal is normal -- They come from the "hilar" on the corn kernel which connects the germ to the rest of the kernel. It also connects the kernel to the cob....They are harmless! In stone ground meal they are more numerous.
Check out your Fritos, and Doritios which are made from whole grain corn...You will think they added black pepper to them....

Enjoy!

 

[Greg Woulf]

They sound like flour weevils to me, but I'm not a bug expert. If they were in your pasta it might be the same thing.

I don't know what do to about it. I'm divorced and single so I have room and keep everything in the fridge that's open.

 

[vegton]

Yes, there's a lot. Some are bigger than others. I'm guessing I'm going to toss it.

 

[Glorie]

I get those in my cornmeal - I think Uncle Bob is right, just look at Frito's

 

[mcnerd]

I agree. Not bugs, but just part of the corn when it is ground. I have it in mine too.

 

[jennyema]

More than a smattering isn't normal, so whether to use it or buy some new cornmeal depends on your tolerance level

 

[Uncle Bob]

Yes, there's a lot. Some are bigger than others. I'm guessing I'm going to toss it.

Dump the meal out of the bag or whatever onto a cookie sheet - If you have any weevils you will see them move -- If you see no movement then chances are you are seeing what I have already described above. However if you feel uncomfortable about the meal...just toss and replace it with a fresh bag --- It's what now? less than $3.

 

[jennyema]

According to Andrew Zimmern weevils are a great protein source!

 

[Uncle Bob]

According to Andrew Zimmern weevils are a great protein source!

Yeah, but they lose some of their crunchiness when cooked...

 

[Scotch]

If the dark things are different in size and shape from the yellow stuff, it ain't corn! Dump it.

 

[jennyema]

If the dark things are different in size and shape from the yellow stuff, it ain't corn! Dump it.

Exactly!

 

[Wyogal]

"When in doubt, throw it out!"

 

[Callisto in NC]

I went to the County Fair a while back and there was a bug guy there that told us that we eat hundereds of bug parts every year. Here is an interesting link and cornmeal is listed.

University of Kentucky Entomology: Mystery Bugs

 

[kadesma]

A few dark specs in commercial cornmeal is normal -- They come from the "hilar" on the corn kernel which connects the germ to the rest of the kernel. It also connects the kernel to the cob....They are harmless! In stone ground meal they are more numerous.
Check out your Fritos, and Doritios which are made from whole grain corn...You will think they added black pepper to them....

Enjoy!

Thanks UB, now I can make some shrimps and polenta with no fear of little critters meeting their end!!
kades

 

[Silversage]

Listen to Uncle Bob - he gave you the right answer.