Do I need to freeze bulk flour I bought?

[KatyMac]

I bought 20 kgs of flour and I use between 2 & 3 kgs a week

I have split it into 3 - should I freeze each tub of flour?

Why?

Using 2-3kg a week, you'll use it all within 10 weeks.
Flour keeps for months once open (white longer than wheat), as long as it is a cool dry place.

OK - I normally only buy 5kgs at a time & this is a new supplier so I was a bit nervouse

I’ve read on other forums that it is a good idea to freeze any flour for 24 hours to kill any potential bugs. Once frozen it’s fine to store in a cupboard.

That's what I read too

I wondered if the peppers did this "as a matter of course" rather than risk it?

Thanks I put the first tub in, then I will replace after 48? Hours with then next and the final

Just wary of a new company - took ages to find improved flour!

If you are keeping the unfrozen next to the stuff that has been frozen, there is little point. You are freezing to kill off any weevils

Out of interest, what is the reason for freezing? In terms of Covid it's a waste of time as flour has no living genetic material, in terms of weevils etc., they will be there from day one. What's in between that is causing you and others on this thread to consider freezing? What am I missing?

I wish people would stop buying up flour so crazily. If we all just stuck to our normal habits there would be plenty for everyone. As it is, I've been trying to buy flour for a couple of weeks now with no luck.

Having ten weeks supply is greedy, when many of us can't get hold of ANY AT ALL.

They're selling it in 16kg bags on amazon quite cheaply, so anyone can buy one. This won't affect supermarkets. The problem generally is that they've run out of smaller flour bags, not flour.

Aldi only had 10kg bags last week. I think they would have objected if I'd ripped one open on the shop floor to take my normal 2kg.

As loads of catering is shut, there's actually a surplus of the wholesale bags, whilst a shortage of the small ones.

It's not flour that's in short supply, it's the small paper bags we are used to buying it in. Katy is helping the supermarket supply by not buying it in 1.5kg bags every week.

OP if you freeze it, keep unfrozen stuff away from the ultimate storage place, and unfrozen flour, or you might get weevil transfer. We stopped our (non British) weevil problem by storing unopened bags in the freezer.

After freezer into cupboard with no flour

Normally buy 3 x 5 kg bags from North Norfolk when I visit my mum and haven't been visiting can't buy from my normal supplier so I bought off Amazon - I can give you the link?

I have been baking bread for around 17 years so it's hardly new - bought bread and improved flour sets off my IBS - made bread with improved flour doesn't

Actually the 16kg bag was a lot cheaper than my 3x5kg bags so I may continue with this supplier

I 'think' the freezing kills the weevils so they don't breed but I'm not 100% sure which is why I asked

If you want a couple of kg for the price it cost me plus postage I'm cool with than - just message me - it might have to wait a few days for me to post until the person collecting my prescription does her monthly drop off as we are shielding - but I know she will post it for me

Made bread with Unimproved doesn't

Oh and I am having the same problem getting plain or self raising and to be honest I haven't tried to see if bread flour does do a nice sponge because I need bread, cake would just be nice

I’ve never frozen flour in my life.
I have bags that are open for months before I use them.

Tesco's has loss of bread flour in this morning - large 4 kg bags of strong Allison's. First time in about two months 😀

There is no shortage of flour and buying bulk isn't the cause of there not being any in retail sizes - just buy the larger bags - they don't have the capacity for bagging is the issue so actually its less selfish to buy the largr packs if you will use it - leaving the retail for others who can't afford or don't use as much flour

I'm using 3 x 5 litre tubs they must take just over 5kgs in each
And I have a chest freezer so w in freezer 2 out on the kitchen side (away from food), then when I put the frozen one in the cupboard and do the next one

That's what I thought especially as it's a new company

Do you use unimproved flour? It was hard to find