Sifting Flour | Imamother

BrachaVHatzlocha

Wed, Aug 31 2005, 8:01 pm

I know that in Eretz Yisroel, you must sift all flour. But here in NY I am under the impression that usually you don't need to (though some people do.)
Now...today I was shopping in a heimishe store and there was a sign that due to extreme heat, flour should be checked. Now my question is, does that include if I have at home in containers? And does it need to be sifted, or just looked through?
Anyone know anything about this?

sarahd

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 5:38 am

Unless your kitchen is well air conditioned, you probably should check the flour. If you ask me, the easiest way to do that is to sift it. How else do you propose to check it?

lucky

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 10:25 am

In the summer you definetly have to sift the flour. Sometimes they are infested. In fact, now is the worst season. Check farina, oatmeal, and ALL other dry food. I've found webbings and worms and other gross things in the abovementioned things.
Also, try to shop in a big supermarket where the turnover rate is higher so the things dont stay on the shelf too long.

amother

Magenta

Thu, Jun 23 2016, 1:42 pm

just to clarify
The reason that sifting flour happens in E'Y is a minhag. It started in the old days when the means for transporting flour was unhygienic and infested. Now, the industries are up to par and there is little chance of encountering infestation in flour (unless in a situation where the product has been sitting on the shelf for a long time and in warm conditions- in which any food product can become an issue).
There is only ever a need to check a product for bugs, if it usually is infested.
That is the reason that there is a process for checking leafy vegetables/berries before eating them, and we don't do the same for bananas.
Since flour is only infested very infrequently, this halachic rule of needing to check no longer applies to flour.
This does not mean that flour never gets infested.
If you shop at a neighborhood makolet with long product turnover and warm conditions, it would be wise to check your products.
If not, your checking flour is like checking bananas before eating them
--nice- but don't make it into a new halacha

lkwdlady

Thu, Jun 23 2016, 1:47 pm

gourmetbaking wrote:

I use packaged sifted flour that is vacuum packed. It is great and really fresh my challos have a new taste.

where do you buy that? what company?

amother

Puce

Thu, Jun 23 2016, 1:50 pm

[quote="lucky"]In the summer you definetly have to sift the flour. Sometimes they are infested. In fact, now is the worst season. Check farina, oatmeal, and ALL other dry food. I've found webbings and worms and other gross things in the abovementioned things.
Also, try to shop in a big supermarket where the turnover rate is higher so the things dont stay on the shelf too long.[/quot

yes! I have found worms and bugs in our food! Tiny worms in rice (pilaf mix) more than once although I haven't found in a while. Also, after cooking different sorts of pasta and letting it sit on the stove, I have seen the most disgusting bugs rise to the top. Clumps of dirt and pebbes in chulent beans also. Have never found anything in flour although I know people who did.

gourmetbaking

Thu, Jun 23 2016, 1:53 pm

The big supermarkets carry it and the company is WONDER. I know Rebbetzin Heller recommends using it because it is really fresh and of course bug free. because it is sifted and vacuum packed

lkwdlady

Thu, Jun 23 2016, 2:12 pm

gourmetbaking wrote:

The big supermarkets carry it and the company is WONDER. I know Rebbetzin Heller recommends using it because it is really fresh and of course bug free. because it is sifted and vacuum packed

I googled and couldn't find this product. If anyone finds it, please post a link. I would like to buy this and want to know what to look for.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Jun 23 2016, 7:50 pm

I find that sifted flour makes a huge difference in how light my challah, cakes, and muffins turn out. Unsifted is heavy and it makes the dough really hard to mix.

Now that I'm in Israel, everything gets put into the freezer for a few days, and then stored in airtight plastic containers. All grains and loose spices get checked thoroughly before cooking. I was in the local shuk today, and I noticed grain moths fluttering around, so I'm being extra careful.

I had grain moths when I was in the US, and those things are EVIL! Exploding anger

They can lay eggs in the area where the back of your cabinets meet the shelves, so even if you throw out all of your infested food (very expensive) you still have to completely bleach soak your cabinets inside and out. I felt like I was doing Pesach cleaning every 3 months. Mad