Flour mite
Acarus siro is a tiny mite that infests flour and other stored foods. Its presence can contaminate food and trigger allergic reactions in some people.
Acarus siro: A storage mite species that feeds on flour, grain, and other dry organic material. This is the scientific species name for the flour mite.
Food storage: The preservation of food by controlling conditions such as temperature, moisture, and exposure to pests. Dry, well-sealed storage limits the conditions that favor flour mites.
Grain mite: A storage mite, often referring to Tyrophagus putrescentiae, associated with grain and other stored products. It is a related storage mite that may be mistaken for Acarus siro.
Oral mite anaphylaxis: A severe allergic reaction after eating food contaminated with mites, especially flour mites. This named syndrome describes a serious consequence of eating infested flour.
Mite: A small arachnid in the subclass Acari, which includes ticks and many other groups. Flour mites belong to this diverse arachnid group.
Food contamination: The presence of unwanted biological, chemical, or physical material in food. Mite bodies and waste can contaminate infested flour.
Cheese mite: A mite infestation of cheese, commonly associated with Tyrophagus casei and related species. It affects another stored food and involves mites other than the flour mite.
Allergy: An immune response to a substance that is usually harmless to most people. Flour-mite proteins can act as allergens in sensitized people.
Stored-product pest: An organism that damages or contaminates food and other materials during storage. Flour mites are one kind of pest found in stored foods.
Food allergen: A food-derived substance that can provoke an immune response in a sensitized person. Mite proteins may contaminate food and provoke allergic reactions.