Paprika has always been the first spice to end up with bugs in it. If you will keep it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator from the time you buy it until the last of it is used, you'll probably never see a bug.
You can also freeze it for 24 hours which will kill any bug eggs which is lurking just waiting to hatch out in a more comfortable environment for the little buggies. The eggs are most likely in the paprika when you buy it. Depending on how it's kept, you might be able to avoid the eggs hatching.
Eating the eggs will not be harmful nor will you be likely to even know you are eating them. Chili powder, and other blends containing any type of peppers can have the same type of bug eggs.
Other spices such as coriander may become buggy from association with paprika, but it won't happen if they are tightly sealed in glass containers, refrigerated or not.
I've not seen a bug in any spice or herb in years, but I do keep the most vulnerable ones refrigerated or in the freezer. Freezing will not affect the quality at all, and since they are dry, they are easily measured even when left frozen. You might have to stir them a little with a thin-bladed knife or the handle of a spoon before measuring.
Good spices and herbs are expensive cooking and baking items, so protect them to save money.
Source: Old habits learned from my mother and grandmother who treated their spices, herb mixtures, extracts and flavorings like they were as precious as gold; which they are in the hands of a good cook.
By Julia from Boca Raton, FL
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Great tip, especially with spices being so expensive. Thanks for sharing.Two thumbs up! Keeper
You said it yourself... "spices are as precious as gold" and can be almost as expensive. Keeping spices in the fridge or freezer can also probably save them from clumping in a hot, humid kitchen.
Really good tip. I've often had to toss Paprika because of little white bugs. Never knew how they got there since the bottles always had nice lids.
I'm glad to know that it isn't something that we're doing that contaminates our expensive herbs and spices with. They'll be in the fridge from now on after a vacation in the freezer.
Thank you so much.
Maybe I've been lucky the past four decades but the only time I've ever gotten bugs in a spice is when I didn't store them in a glass container with a tight fitting lid in a closed cabinet or drawer as far away from the stove/oven as possible. It's heat that causes the hatching problem in spices.
I've not lost that many of my herbs and spices due to a bug attack, however, I do think that the strength of certain ones might last a lot longer if I did, so I'll be making a change. Thank you for the helpful information. They really are too expensive to let sit and lose the good flavors.
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