Live worms found in milk powder! Is it the powder's fault or the worm's?

As the saying goes, "When spring thunder roars, all insects come out." As the weather gradually warms up, the number of food complaints related to insect pests will increase visibly, such as "live insects were found in certain milk powder."

If you search on Baidu, you will find that live worms have been found in baby formula of all major brands. Logically, the management level of baby formula production lines is much higher than that of the general food industry. How did the worms get in?

From the production perspective, milk powder factories must have insect prevention measures, including factory site selection, controlling temperature and humidity within the factory, controlling air flow, and installing wind curtains to prevent flying insects from entering.

Moreover, the milk powder production line is highly automated. The few production lines I have seen are almost completely sealed, and it is difficult to throw something in, and insects have almost no chance to enter.

At the same time, according to national standards, the moisture content of infant formula should not exceed 5%, and many formulas are drier than this. In addition, in order to ensure the shelf life of the product, the formula packaging is usually filled with inert gases such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen. In such a dry and oxygen-deficient environment, insects cannot survive, their eggs cannot hatch, and it is even more impossible for them to reproduce.

Therefore, if consumers do find live worms in milk powder, it is most likely caused by improper storage, such as the outer packaging being damaged, the lid not being closed tightly, the bag not being sealed, and the worms slipping in when you are not paying attention during the process of taking it out and putting it away, etc.

In fact, common insects in milk powder are often typical storage pests in the home, such as saw-toothed grain beetles and red flour beetles, which are often found in rice, noodles, and grains at home. The seasons with the highest incidence of complaints are mainly concentrated in summer and autumn, which is when pests in the home are most active.

Not only milk powder, but also other foods have the same pattern of insect pest complaints, such as chocolate, biscuits and pastries. These foods have one thing in common - they are sweet, delicious and nutritious, and are the favorites of insects.

At this point, some people may ask, if living worms can slip in by themselves, how do dead worms get in?

Although insects can take advantage of the situation to sneak in when the milk powder packaging is damaged or opened, they will never expect that the water-deficient environment in the milk powder can is not suitable for survival. They want to escape but cannot find an exit, and are finally trapped and killed in the desert of milk powder.

Of course, if the product is completely exposed to the air and stored in a humid environment, the bugs may still survive and even reproduce in it. This is why some consumers find lumps or flocs in the infested milk powder.

Therefore, the reason why milk powder is infested with insects is not because the insects are too cunning, but mainly because people are too careless. So, how can parents prevent insects from invading milk powder?

1. Check the appearance carefully before opening. It is not recommended to give food to children even if the can or packaging bag is only slightly damaged. Cardboard boxes are easy to absorb moisture, mold and insects. It is best to remove the cardboard box when you buy a whole box home.

2. Use the milk powder as you go and cover it in time. If the bagged milk powder does not have a sealing design, it is recommended to find a sealable can to pack it to prevent moisture and insects.

3. Keep the place where milk powder is stored clean and tidy. Do not mix it with rice, flour, snacks and other foods that are prone to insects. Do not store it near pools or green plants to avoid insects falling into it during use.

4. Do not place the milk powder under the light, because the light will easily attract small flying insects.

Finally, we should say that you should buy from regular channels such as regular supermarkets, maternal and child chain stores, and brand official online stores. The logistics, warehousing and transportation of these channels are more secure, which can reduce the damage of packaging caused by violent transportation.

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