Flies in my bag of bread - bad bread?

I just bought a loaf of sliced bread from the corner store (couldn't make a trip to the grocery store today) and when I opened the bag, there were two tiny flies in it, still alive.

The flies have since been shooed away, but this raises some concerns - does this indicate that my bread has most likely gone bad, and that I should throw it away? Or could it still be usable?

bread spoilage

Best Answer

Sometimes the presence of insects in certain foods cannot be avoided. The FDA has regulations on this, but I couldn't find any specific references to bread per se. However, based on standards for some other foods in there, two flies probably aren't a big issue.

At the same time, flies are well known for spreading bacteria harmful to humans all over the place, and if you're feeling squeamish about this, I would just throw out the bread. This may be true especially considering that you don't know how long the flies have been present with the bread, and that the bread has been sliced and thus exposes more surface area.

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Flies in my bag of bread - bad bread? - Through glass view of senior female with wrinkled skin in warm clothes putting long loaf in textile bag in daytime

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Flies in my bag of bread - bad bread? - Contemplative senior female with disposable cup of hot drink and baguette in bag looking away at cafe counter

Why are there flies in my bread?

Where do they come from? Did you know? Fruit flies are particularly attracted to fermenting yeast in fruits and bread. Your white bread is an excellent attractant for them to feed on.

Can flies lay eggs in bread?

@Zibbobz : even if the flies left, it's possible that they laid eggs on the bread ... which isn't necessarily bad to eat (your body will deal with it), but could mean a whole lot of flies in your near future if you haven't disposed of it by the time they hatch.

How do I get rid of flies in rotten food?

Place them wherever you have seen fruit flies.

Wine trap: Fill the bottom of a small jar with a splash of wine. ...

Rotten fruit trap: Follow the steps above, but put a piece of rotten fruit at the bottom of the jar.

Apple cider vinegar trap: Follow the steps above, but put apple cider vinegar in the jar.

Why does bread attract fruit flies?

Fruit + Bread Why not attract them, with what attracts them? Fruit flies love sugars and yeast, so trapping them in their vice works.

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