Pest Control for the Food Industry

Pests can cause real problems for food handling premises. From damage to property, spreading of disease, through damage to your business's reputation to potential prosecution and ultimately the closure of your business - these are all things that you need to avoid. 

Any food business (burger van, café, catering company, hotel, restaurant or takeaway) therefore needs to think carefully about pest control. Effective pest control should not only prevent the invasion of pests anywhere on the food site but should also look at a reduction in the conditions that may encourage pests or enable their survival.

Pests and Legal Requirements for Food Companies

The two main regulatory frameworks that cover food companies are the Food Safety Act of 1990 and the Food Hygiene Regulations 2005 which both deem a food to be unsafe when it is unfit for human consumption or injurious to health. To prevent this from happening they also make clear the basic hygiene requirements that all food business operators should work too.

Other regulations that food businesses should be aware of include Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Pest Control in the Food Industry (from the National Pest Advisory Panel).

Pest Control Procedures in Food Premises

Let's take a closer look at what some of the most common pest control procedures you should be undertaking in your business: 

• Correct storage procedures. When any raw produce arrives on your premise, the first thing you should do is to inspect it for evidence of an infestation, and it should remain accessible for inspection throughout its lifespan. Storing products without checking them, or being able to access them easily, means that pests can easily take hold of them without you being able to detect it.

• Deal with food waste promptly. Any waste food needs to be disposed of quickly and properly to prevent pests invading the area where waste food is left. Storing food waste correctly and disposing of it regularly means that pests such as birds, insects, mice and rats will not be attracted to this area and will then try to get into your premises to find more.

• Pest proof your business. The best way to prevent any issues from pests affecting your food business is to prevent them from accessing your premises in the first place. Doors should only have a gap of 5mm at the most to prevent mice or rats getting in. You should also ensure you install fly screens on your windows and electric fly zappers as well so that if any insects do manage to get in, they can quickly be dealt with.

One of the key benefits of our electric fly zappers is that they come with a removable tray which is easy to clean. The side benefit of this is that all of the insects which are zapped will collect in this tray, allowing you to identify any different species. This will then allow you to find out where they are coming from, which is a vital part of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) process.

As well as our range of electric fly zappers, fly screens and fly screen doors, we also have a range of anti-insect curtains available as well. So, if you want to protect your business from airborne pests, please give us a call on 0333 999 7171.