I found a bug in my barley (with help from imamother.com)

self-actualization

Fri, Aug 31 2012, 2:11 pm

I had a feeling that my barley wasn't as clean as the usual brand. I don't remember what I usually use but it's a smooth, small, white, pearl barley usually and today was [a different] brand - large, brown barley. When I opened the bag I saw a green pea - so my antennae went up that maybe the factory wasn't so clean. Then I put a cup of barley into a bowl with cold water (as instructed by Star-K and imamother.com) and swished the water around. Sure enough there's a small, long red bug kicking it's legs - it looked like the center of a barley, but definitely had legs that it was kicking! I got rid of the bug and thoroughly inspected the rest of the barley before putting it into my chulent. I wanted to throw out the rest of the bag but my husband insisted that we keep it, so I put it into a ziploc for next week - what would you do? What would you have done with the barley that I used? I am kind of traumatized all day but I know that these checking mechanisms are the proper way to go, and that my chulent is 100% ok now.

[edited by mod who agrees that stating the brand is probably lashon hara.]

ray family

Sat, Sep 01 2012, 2:08 pm

ask a shaila.
there have been times I've been told to throw a food away and other times (when money was very tight or I didn't have ingredients to remake the dish I was told I could keep the food)
ask you LOR

merelyme

Sat, Sep 01 2012, 6:28 pm

self-actualization wrote:

I had a feeling that my barley wasn't as clean as the usual brand. I don't remember what I usually use but it's a smooth, small, white, pearl barley usually and today was UNGAR's brand - large, brown barley.

This barley was pearl barley or not?
The halachos for checking are different for checking whole barley than for pearl barley.

After proper checking, I'd use it, unless the bag was infested. (No, one bug does not mean it was infested.)

miami85

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 11:02 am

A frum exterminator told me that knows of some people who buy heimishe brand barley thinking it's less likely to be infested, but in reality because it's more expensive it tends to sit on the shelf longer and tends to be more problematic. Not trying to knock heimishe brands, just reporting what he told me.

Happy18

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 11:24 am

miami85 wrote:

That is revolting.

amother

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 11:54 am

You should not list the brand-that is most prob lashon hara! It usually has very little to do w/ the brand & a lot to do w/ how & for how long it was stored. & you only have to throw it out if there are 3.