Two things that really don’t mix: food and pests. Well, unless of course, you live in South East Asia or many African nations where eating crickets and palm weevils and all manner of other creepy crawlies is not uncommon.
In a professional kitchen, however, there are certain rules that need to be adhered to and that means keeping insects out of the kitchen.
But why is pest control so important to a food business? What are the main pests that threaten the food industry? And what can you do to prevent pest infestations in your commercial premises?
Why is pest control important to a food business?
So, what’s all the fuss about? Why is pest control so important to a food business? Well, ultimately, it’s all about maintaining a certain level of cleanliness. If you have a pest problem, it’s almost always due to having poor levels of cleanliness and hygiene in your kitchen – which is simply unacceptable.
The fact is, pests are naturally attracted to food which means that you should be storing your food correctly and thoroughly cleaning your kitchen and disposing of all food waste at the end of each working day.
Certainly, sometimes a pest infestation can be unavoidable. You could uphold the very highest standards and still end up having your commercial premises invaded by pests. However, what’s important is that you respond immediately – and appropriately. Here’s why pest control is paramount for a food business:
- Pests spread diseases: most pests are notorious for spreading all manner of diseases. For example, rats and mice can transmit salmonellosis, hantavirus, and other serious diseases, and cockroaches can trigger allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory issues.
- Pests can damage the structural integrity of your property: not only can rodents chew through wires and create significant fire hazards, but termites can seriously impact the structural integrity of your property, thus putting everyone at risk.
- Your food can be contaminated: pests are drawn to food and the moment they come into contact with it, it will be contaminated and unsafe for consumption.
- Your reputation will be torn to shreds: once word gets out that you’ve had cockroaches running around your establishment, or rats in the kitchen, your reputation will be torn to shreds and it will be very difficult to recover from it.
- Forced closure is not uncommon: in most cases, if you do not deal with your pest infestation appropriately, your business may be forced to shut down either temporarily or—in some cases—permanently.
What are the main pests in the food industry?
So, what are the biggest pests that you should be mindful of in the food industry? Here’s a list of the biggest culprits giving business owners plenty of grief:
- Cockroaches are among the filthiest creatures, picking up all manner of germs and debris when moving through sewers and pipes. Once they transfer onto your kitchen counters and equipment, you’ll be at great risk of making your customers poorly.
- Rodents are a no-no in the food industry because they spread tonnes of different diseases. They tend to nest near sources of food and water and are notorious for breeding rapidly. Droppings and urine are common and relatively easy to spot, so if you do notice anything in your premises, contact a pest control expert immediately.
- Flies are also known to carry a number of harmful pathogens and tend to breed around decaying trash and any other moist and unsavoury environment. Once they make their way inside they can easily contaminate your food stores.
- Ants and so small and sneaky that they can easily find their way into your premises via the smallest openings, thus making it very difficult for you to control. If unspotted, they can quickly contaminate and destroy any food source.
- While spiders do not pose an immediate health hazard, they are unwelcome in the hospitality industry.
How can we prevent pests in the food service industry?
Now that you know what kind of pests can be problematic for the food industry and why what can you do to prevent them? The commercial pest control experts recommend the following:
- The first and greatest defence against pests is maintaining a clean and pristine premise. Everything, including the kitchen and restaurant floor itself, should be thoroughly cleaned daily. All food residue and drink spillages should be removed.
- The trash should be carried outside to the bins regularly with sealed bin liners. Not only that, but you should aim to wash your outside bins regularly so as to ensure that rodents are less likely to be attracted.
- Always be vigilant in your problem areas and ensure that you remain on top of things.
- Do your research and make sure that you fully understand all of the potential pests that are a threat to you and what you can do to keep them at bay.
- Survey any potential damage and respond quickly to infestations.
- Closely monitor your storage areas and make sure that food is regularly rotated so as not to have any out-of-date at the back of your shelves.
- Abide by all health, safety, and food hygiene laws and you shouldn’t run into too many problems.
Conclusion
Pest control is paramount in the food industry. While there is much that you can do to prevent pest problems, sometimes, it’s an unavoidable fact of life.
If you do suspect that you may have an infestation, we urge you to act immediately and contact a reputable company like Expert Pest Control in Marsden Park to visit your premises and recommend the appropriate course of action.
Fortunately, commercial pest control companies are flexible and discreet, so you should have too much trouble alleviating the problem as long as you act quickly!
