Insect manifestation is a very serious problem that most people encounter regularly. Lentils and different types of pulses are more prone to attracting various insects that infect these pulses and make them unfit for consumption. A lot of time people do not pay heed towards this problem and often end up eating infected food.
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This may lead to further ailments and create a lot of health problems. One must maintain proper hygiene in the kitchen and store food in a healthy way. Throwing the infected pulses also leads to a lot of food wastage which is not a good idea in itself. The best way to take care of one's health and also avoid food wastage is by taking some precautions while storing pulses. Here are some top tips that one should follow while storing pulses at home to avoid any kind of insect infestation.
* Garlic
Using garlic to keep insects at a distance is a very useful natural remedy. One can simply put some peeled garlic cloves in the storage box of dal. Generally, 4 to 5 garlic cloves are enough to make sure that the pulses do not get infected with insects. Once the garlic cloves start drying out, they must be replaced by the fresher ones. Most of the time, this remedy works out for the majority of people and helps in keeping insects at a distance.
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* Cloves
Adding cloves to stored pulses will not only help keep away insects but also add a very nice flavour to the stored pulses. This process helps in protecting the pulses from any kind of insect infestation and the pulses remain protected for a long time. The ideal way to do this is by adding 8 to 10 cloves in a jar of pulses and making sure that the container being used is airtight.
* Sunlight
This is probably the simplest way to make sure that the lentils remain protected from any kind of insect attack. If one doesn't want to use anything like garlic and cloves, then they can simply spread the pulses on a large cloth and put it under direct sunlight for at least 2 to 3 days. Insects are attracted to a particular kind of food, generally in dark places. Keeping pulses under sunlight will help in combating the proliferation of insects. This is a great way of protecting pulses against sunlight. It is quite healthy and can be implemented by everyone, even if their pulses do not get infected by insects. Just doing this remedy once a month will ensure that any kind of bugs stay away from pulses.
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* Dry Chillies
Using dry red chillies and putting them in a box of pulses is also another effective remedy that helps keep insects away from the pulses. Insects stay away from red chillies. So putting 2 to 3 red chillies in the pulses will help in making sure that the stored pulses remain free from an insect attack. As soon as the red chillies start rotting, they must be replaced with the newer ones.
* Neem Leaves
Neem leaves are a very efficacious detoxifying ingredient that instantly flushes out toxins from the body. Similarly, it is equally beneficial if one wants to avoid any kind of insect infestation in their pulses. The method of using dry neem leaves to keep insects away has been used for generations. One can simply take a whole stem of dry Neem leaves and put it in the jars of stored pulses. Neem leaves are also effective in keeping insects away from woollen clothes as well.
* Storing In Refrigerator
Storing pulses in the refrigerator is an easy way to make sure that the pulses do not get infected with any kind of germs and bacteria. Insects do not manifest at a very low temperature. They require a higher temperature to breed and proliferate. By storing pulses in small quantities in the refrigerator, one can make sure that the pulses remain fresh and healthy. These policies must be stored in airtight containers or zip-lock bags.
* Insect Repellant
The insect repellent tablets can be easily found at a chemist's shop. These tablets can be added to the pulses, and they will help prevent insect manifestation. These tablets are small and circular. These are considered quite effective as they are made from different types of chemicals that resist the breeding of insects. 2 to 3 of these tablets can be stored in a jar. But before using these pulses, one must wash them properly in lukewarm water to eradicate the effect of chemicals present in the insect repellent.