Does unopened whole wheat flour have to be refrigerated? [duplicate]

The organic whole wheat flour that I bought is in a sealed thick plastic bag and has never been opened. Should it be refrigerated (or frozen)? And does opened white flour need to be refrigerated?

My question refers to unopened whole wheat flour. And the second part of my question refers to white flour which I now understand is better in the freezer. Thank you!

flour storage

Best Answer

Whole wheat flour will turn rancid faster than AP flour because the germ contains oil. For best baking results you should use the flour within one month (opened and unopened) (source: 1 and 2). You can use the flour even longer but it will taste rancid and the gluten won't work as well as in new flour (source: 3). As far as I know there are no health concerns if older flour is used.

Flour can be refrigerated and be freezed. This will slow down the oxidization. If you want to use the previously chilled flour, make sure that the flour is warm then for good baking results. (source: 1).

Sources
1: Does white whole wheat flour need to be refrigerated?
2: How long can I store a food in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer?
3. How to store flour

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Does whole wheat flour have to be refrigerated?

Store whole grain flour in the freezer or refrigerator, as far from the freezer/fridge door as possible. Un-milled whole grains (e.g., wheat berries, rye flakes, rolled oats) have a longer shelf life than whole grain flours. Store them either airtight at cool room temperature, or in the freezer or refrigerator.

Why do open packages of whole grain flour need to be refrigerated?

Whole grains are best kept in the fridge or freezer to prevent rancidity. True. They are. This is more important when a grain has been broken up in some way, be it milled into flour, cracked into cereal, or flaked like oatmeal.

Why is whole wheat flour refrigerated?

Flour ages over time, but placing whole-grain flours in the freezer stops the aging process. If you don't have freezer space, you can store the flour in the refrigerator, which will slow down the process. Either way, the flour will last much longer than if you store it in the pantry.

Whole Wheat Moroccan Bread (Khobz) / خبز الزرع (No Machine, Very Easy to make)

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Images: Bruno Thethe, Polina Tankilevitch, Klaus Nielsen, Klaus Nielsen