The COR reports that Kroger brand Pearled Barley with a “Sell By” date of July 06, 2019, which is currently being sold in local Kroger stores, has been found to be infested, and should not be used without careful checking. They suggest this method to properly check bags of barley of that “Sell BY” date: shake the dry barley in a strainer over a white surface (not plastic, which creates a shine and static) and check the surface f or any infestation. Or place a small pile of barley on a white paper plate with a very good overhead light to check. Use a finger or fork to drag a small amount of barley away from the pile, spreading that barley in a single layer. Visually inspect the spread-apart barley, looking for webbing, black insects and white or tan worms between or under the kernels. Repeat this until the entire pile has been checked. Then continue the same process for the rest of the bag.
After checking, it is advisable to thoroughly rinse before using.
