Pest Control in Food Businesses

Pest infestations cost businesses money. Pests damage and contaminate food, gnaw through electrical cables and cause disease. As a food business proprietor it is YOUR responsibility to deal with pests effectively.

The three main groups of pests that are encountered in food businesses are:

• Rodents - Mice and Rats
• Insects - Cockroaches, Beetles, Ants and Flies
• Birds - Pigeons, Seagulls etc

Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs states that businesses must ensure that the layout, design, construction and size of food premises shall permit good food hygiene practices, including protection against cross contamination between and during operations by external sources of contamination such as pests.

The Regulations also require that adequate procedures be in place to ensure pests are controlled. Setting up a pest control contract is good practice, but remember that the ultimate responsibility for any pest problem lies with the proprietor of the food business. The premises must be periodically visually checked for signs of pest presence.

Laying of baits and poisons should be left to the professionals. Commercially available baits are not adequate for use in food businesses and can be a source of food contamination.

Remember that domestic animals are classed as pests in food businesses and should be kept out of food areas.

Rodent Control

The most common pests found in food premises are rats and mice. Follow the advice below and you should never have a problem with these rodents.

Exclusion

The best way to deal with pests is to exclude them from your premises completely, which is possible in almost all cases. Even if you do not have a current pest problem, measures must be taken to ensure that pests cannot enter the premises.

All gaps should be sealed using a hard, gnaw resistant material. Cement, mortar, hard filler, brush strips and fine gauge wire mesh are the best examples of materials that should be used to seal gaps. Spray foam is often used to fill gaps because it is quick and easy to apply in an emergency. Foam should not be used as a long term solution as mice and rats can easily gnaw through it.

There are several common ways that rodents can enter a food business:

• Gaps under external doors - the most common way that mice and rats enter premises is to squeeze under gaps under doors. Fitting a brush strip on the bottom of the door will seal the gap effectively.
  
• Gaps around pipes and cables - make sure there are no gaps around pipes or cables when they pass through external walls. Make sure work is checked after contractors finish any job involving pipes or wires going through external walls.
  
• Gaps hidden by suspended ceilings - always check any suspended ceilings as there are usually cables and pipes running through walls that cannot be seen.
  
• Doors and windows left open - not usually a problem during the day, as activity will scare the mice and rats away. All doors and windows should be closed at night or during any quiet period. Pest screens can be fitted to doors and windows that are left open regularly.
  
• Uncovered drains and dry toilets - rats use the sewers like a motorway. They can gain access to property wherever they have any opportunity. Keep all drains covered and keep a water seal on toilets. If a toilet is not used, consider having it removed and seal the pipe.
  
• Broken drains - the most common way that rats escape the sewer is through broken drains. If you are experiencing a rat problem then a broken drain is the most likely source of the rats. Have drains surveyed and repaired when necessary.

Remember that rats and mice are good at climbing and can access buildings at any level.

Good Housekeeping

Mice and rats will eat food debris from the floor and refuse that is not placed into sealed bins. Even when precautionary baits have been placed, if food debris is available to the rodents they will eat the debris and leave the bait in most cases. Remember that one mouse only has to eat the equivalent of one pea per day to survive.

It is particularly important to ensure that food debris does not build up under and behind equipment. It is these dark, hard to see places that rats and mice prefer, so keep them debris free. This can be achieved by employing a 'clean as you go' policy so that if a spillage occurs, it is cleaned up immediately.

Ensure that all foods are covered when not in use and kept off the floor to discourage rodents from eating them. It is also a good idea to stack food a few inches away from walls so that the gap may be inspected for signs of rodents and to discourage the shy pests from hiding behind the food.

Signs of Infestation

You should regularly check for signs of infestation, even if you employ a pest controller. It only takes a matter of days for an infestation to get out of hand, which can occur between your scheduled pest visits.

Signs to look out for include:

• Rodent droppings on the floor, shelves and other surfaces.
• Gnawed food packaging and structure.
• Greasy smear marks along the bottom of walls.
• Rodents themselves either dead or alive!

Cockroach Control

Good hygiene practice is essential in the control of cockroaches, as is the reduction of access to food and water. Food should be kept in airtight storage jars and any food debris or waste should be cleared up straight away.

Cockroaches can survive longer on just water as opposed to just food so reducing supplies to water is essential in controlling cockroach populations. Fix any leaks and sweating pipes, provide ventilation to moist areas, mop up any spillages, do not leave washing up soaking overnight and empty refrigerator overflow containers.

The next step is to start to reduce potential harbourage in the areas suggested by the traps as being the most infested. Removing any clutter where cockroaches might live i.e. loose wallpaper, and broken tiles, cookery books and loose papers are a also a perfect haven.

Any holes, cracks or crevices must be blocked, painted or sealed shut bearing in mind that the young of the German cockroach can fit in a gap of less than 1mm. Before starting, these areas should be washed to eliminate any eggs, food material or waste that has accumulated. Any furniture suspected of harbouring cockroaches can be steam cleaned if appropriate.

Vacuuming regularly, especially in out of the way areas can suck up cockroaches, their eggs and the material they feed on. The dust in the bag should clog up the breathing apparatus of any cockroaches but to make sure, seal the dust bag in a sealed plastic bag.

What to do if you have an infestation

The key to dealing effectively with pest infestations is to identify them in the early stages. This involves regular monitoring of your premises for the signs of pests described above.

When signs of pests are detected, we recommend that you take the following steps to ensure that the health of your customers is not harmed and to remove the infestation:

1. Close the business until the mice, rats or cockroaches have been effectively cleared from food storage, preparation and service areas.
   
2. Engage a qualified, competent person to survey the premises and carry out such treatment as is necessary to remove the infestation. This means that you should call your pest control contractor or set up a pest control contract if you do not already have one.
   
3. Contact us to report the problem and gain further advice.
   
4. Thoroughly clean and disinfect all equipment and surfaces that may have been contaminated by pests, including the floor, removing and disposing of any stock that may have been contaminated by pests. Care should be taken when cleaning as pest contamination can cause disease. Gloves should be worn.
   
5. Clean away all rodent droppings, dead cockroaches and cockroach egg cases from the premises.
   
6. Keep all food off the floor in sealed containers that are not accessible by pests.
   
7. Block off all holes in the premises which may afford access to rodents with a hard, gnaw resistant material.
   
8. Block all gaps under doors and fit pest screens to doors and windows that may be left open.
   
9. Fill all small crevices that may harbour cockroaches.
   
10. Fix leaky taps, cover toilet and deny all access to water to pests.
    
11. Dispose of any food that may have been contaminated by the mice, rats or cockroaches.

If pest activity is detected by an Environmental Health Officer at your premises you risk the business being closed by Emergency Prohibition Action. If this occurs you will lose trade, gain bad publicity and may have to pay in excess

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