What to Do When Small Black Bugs Appear in Rice? A Few Practical Methods to Deal With Them

Rice is one of the common staple foods, and many people keep some rice stored at home. If small black bugs appear in the rice, it can be very frustrating. So what should you do when small black bugs appear in rice?

1. Ginger to Repel Bugs

Ginger can get rid of bugs in rice. Put fresh ginger into the container holding the rice, placing one piece on the top layer, one in the middle layer, and one on the bottom layer. When the small bugs smell the ginger, they will all crawl out. Once the bugs have all fled, take the ginger out to prevent it from spoiling and contaminating the rice.

2. Sichuan Peppercorn to Repel Bugs

Sichuan peppercorn has a rather distinctive smell and can also repel bugs. Take about 30 peppercorns and divide them into three portions. Wrap each portion separately in gauze or cotton cloth, and place them in the top, middle, and bottom parts of the rice. The small bugs will all flee. This method can also be used to prevent rice from getting bugs. After placing the peppercorns, tie the rice bag tightly and put it in a cool, ventilated place. Rice stored this way will not have a strange smell, so there is no need to worry about it affecting the taste of the cooked rice.

3. Poplar Leaves to Kill Bugs

After bugs appear in the rice, move the rice into a dry, sealed container. Pick some clean poplar leaves, place them evenly in the rice, and then seal the container. After about four days, open the container again; the bugs and bug eggs will all have been killed. Then use a sieve to sift the bugs out of the rice, or you can use a winnowing basket.

4. Freezing to Kill Bugs

Ordinary bugs die in winter, so freezing rice can also get rid of bugs. Divide the rice into several portions, not too much in each portion, put them separately into clean bags, tie the bag openings tightly, and then place them in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. After about 48 hours, take them out, let them sit for a while, wipe the water off the outside of the bags, and sift the rice.

5. Air-Drying to Repel Bugs

Take the rice out, spread it flat on a clean bag, and place it in a cool, ventilated spot. This way the bugs inside the rice will crawl out. Do not put it under direct sunlight to dry; bugs all like warm places, so sun exposure will actually make the bugs unwilling to come out.

Bugs may appear in rice because the weather is relatively hot or relatively humid. If bugs do appear, you only need to get rid of or kill the black bugs; there is almost no loss of the rice's nutritional value.