Households urged to check 5 kitchen items for bug infestation

Homeowners are being advised to inspect the packaging on certain ingredients in their pantry to avoid bug infestations. While it’s often great to see stocked shelves in our kitchens, experts warn that hoarding some items can be harmful to your health.

You may accidentally consume products that are infested with ants, weevils, flour beetles or mites. According to AOL, there are certain pantry staples which can harbor these pests and it’s important to frequently inspect them to avoid an infestation.

Many people think baking ingredients will last forever in our pantries. However, they can attract bugs and become deactivated over time.

Experts recommend checking packages of flour, cornmeal, baking mixes, oats, and sacks of sugar as they can attract ants and bugs if they’re not sealed properly.

Meanwhile, ingredients such as baking powder can become ineffective as time goes on. Baking powder typically lasts for between six months to a year after opening before becoming deactivated.

Similarly, baking soda can lose effectiveness in a similar time frame. If these items are more than three years old, then they are certainly now useless.

Unopened active dry yeast and instant yeast both have a shelf life of two years. This drops to between four and six months after opening.

AOL also recommends people to check the cooking oils in their pantry. If it smells off then it could easily ruin whatever you’re cooking.

Nuts and seeds also go off faster than most people think due to their high fat content. Experts advise smelling them to see if they have a sour or musty scent.

Finally, dented cans can also be harmful to consumers. If a dent is deep enough to be able to lay your finger into it, then bacteria may be able to enter.