Weevil Wipeout

Q: I know that my wheat contains more than 10 percent moisture, and I’m afraid that it might be contaminated with weevils. What can I do?

A: Here are two suggestions to prevent weevil from damaging the wheat.

1. Heat the wheat, layered 3/4 inch deep, on a pan in an oven at 150 degrees for 20 minutes. Or,

2. Place crushed dry ice in the bottom of a storage container (about eight ounces of ice for every 100 pounds of wheat), and fill the container with wheat. Let the dry ice evaporate for about 30 minutes and place the lid on the container. If any bulging occurs, remove the lid and wait for a few minutes before replacing it and sealing it. The carbon dioxide from the dry ice makes it impossible for weevil to survive.—Kay Franz, Brigham Young University Department of Food Science and Nutrition