Should you refrigerate flour?

[AggieGrace]

Do you keep your flour in the refrigerator? Or do you keep it in the pantry?

Just wanting to see what everyone else does and any pros or cons to the different storage methods.

Thanks!

[duonyte]

I refrigerate whole grain flours - they can go rancid rather quickly. I go through all-purpose or bread flour more quickly so don't refrigerate those.

[Red Apple Guy]

Same here....but then I always do what duonyte says.

[PaulO in MA]

I go through 10-lb. bags of King Arthur Flour (KAF) AP flour quickly; no need to refrigerate it.

The following are in the freezer:

KAF whole wheat flour,
KAF cake flour,
Bob's Red Mill (BRM) dark rye flour,
BRM semolina flour (for pasta),
BRM wheat germ,
BRM buckwheat flour,
Arrowhead Mills pastry flour.

Bread flour is sometimes in the freezer, too. It's not right now.

[Red Apple Guy]

Hey Paul.

I've lost some flour and wheat germ by not chilling or freezing. I donl't have much freezer room anyway.

Red

[Stella Mae]

I have a large container of white flour in my fridge with two bay leaves stuck into it. I was told that the bay leaves keep bugs out if flour is left sitting on the counter, and in the fridge it keeps it fresher. I don't know if any of this is true, but I have had that flour sitting in there at least two years and it's still fresh and good to use. So maybe the old wives tale is true. ...