Indoor Pest Control - rust red flour beetles

This is the second time that we have had these pests in 2 years. The first time we thought that we got rid of them by putting all our food in plastic. However, they appeared again in force this year. We don't know if this is the same infestation or a different one.
I am wondering if there is a bio agent that will deal with them. Would a mixture of Bacillus thuringiensis and cereal take care of the problem? I know that permethrine spray will do it but that is fairly toxic stuff. If Bacillus thuringiensis won't work and I am forced to use permethrine, How long must I wait before I bring plates, silverware and such back into the kitchen and place them in treated areas? Do you have any other suggestions? We are going crazy and are beginning to occasionally find them in other rooms of the house. We really don't want to have to fog the place to get rid of them but we want to finally be done with them.
Thanks for any help.
Mitch

Welcome to the forums! Don't start out by using chemicals. It may not be a safe diy project. Call in a pro and see if they can offer less toxic methods. Especially in kitchens.

Thanks.
However, using Bacillus thuringiensis should be fairly benign. Will that work on Flour Beetles?

It seems to work well on leaf and needle bugs, but the information (which I am sure you have read) from Colorado State indicates there are different types that are specific to the bug. Seems innocuous enough and has no second generation effects. Definitely worth a try in moderation.
In addition, just putting flour rice, etc in plastic doesn't alleviate the growth of the beetle. They are already there and are growing. Freezing the flour helps to kill the active ones so you don't have them in it to begin with.