Pests are drawn towards food, therefore places that are involved in mass manufacturing of food and food processing on a daily basis are the ideal place for pests to live.
There is a huge importance of pest control in food industry. The food industry is most susceptible to pest attacks and hence places like food and drinks manufacturing units or restaurants and hotels or food storage areas need to ensure there is no pest infestation.
They should work on their food safety defenses by controlling pest activity on their sites and maintaining food safety.
Which are the common pests that are hazardous to the Food Industry?
The types of pests impacting the food industry vary depending on the geographical conditions, climate, and the type of food ingredients being processed. There are some common pests like cockroaches, flies, moths, beetles, rats, and mice that are found in a majority of the food facilities.
Effective pest control in the food industry requires proper identification of the pest species so that the relevant treatment methods can be applied. Some of the most common pests found in the food industry worldwide are:
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Cockroaches –
These are one of the most hated pests, they carry 6 types of parasitic worms, 7 kinds of human pathogens, and at least 33 types of bacteria. They can easily hide in small cracks and crevices and can rapidly reproduce.
They can pick up germs and dirt on their legs when they crawl through dirty places sewage. These germs can be easily transferred to food products, food preparation areas, food processing equipment when the cockroaches crawl around at night in search of food, whereby highly increasing the chances of contamination.
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Rats and Mice:
One of the biggest issues faced by the food industry is the Rodent control problem. Rats and mice can bite and gnaw on anything available. They generally live in places where food is easily available or accessible.
Rodent’s infestation can cause damage to property, electrical wiring, and equipment, food preparation machinery, food containers, packaging materials, etc. They can contaminate food with their droppings, fur, urine, etc. They are also responsible for transmitting hazardous parasites whereby increasing the risk of serious diseases and infections.
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Flies:
There are many species of flies and they can carry over 100 harmful pathogens. Flies are known to breed in rotting garbage and humid unclean environments.
They fly from these unhygienic places and sit on fresh food, manufacturing, and food processing equipment and food facilities. They contaminate food by spreading disease-causing bacteria.
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Birds:
Birds can cause a lot of physical damage to the food processing or manufacturing units. They can block the sewage systems with their nests and feathers.
Droppings of the birds, nest building materials, and their feathers can contaminate food products and the preparation areas. Bird droppings are known to be poisonous. Birds can spread harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. Also, their nests are home to infestations of arthropods like fleas, bird mites, and beetles.
What is the need to control pests? What are the problems caused by pests?
The food industry is very susceptible to infestation of pests like rats and mice to moths, beetles, and food insects. Some of the key pest issues faced by the food industry are:
- Hygiene concerns over the spread of diseases
- Physical damage to property and equipment
- Food contamination
- Negative impact on reputation resulting in business loss
- Risk of closure or facing legal action
What is the importance of pest control in food industry?
As seen above, pests pose a major threat to the food industry. To keep the food free from contamination, it needs to be handled properly right from its preparation to storing. The key element of any food safety practice is pest management.
All the food manufacturing units, factories, restaurants, hotels, etc. are required to follow the guidelines defined by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). One of the chief requirements of the (FSSAI) (Licensing & Registration) Regulations, 2011, is that all food establishments need to have effective pest control measures in place.
Taking effective and regular pest control measures in the food industry will help:
- Improves brand reputation: Customers know the importance of hygiene and appreciate cleanliness. If a dining area or food preparation area is clean, the customer’s trust and confidence in the business increases.
- Builds consumer trust: By providing safe, hygienic food a business signals to its customers that it cares about their welfare. This helps build customer loyalty.
- Customer retention: By maintaining hygiene and keeping the restaurant or food processing unit pest-free, the business is ensuring that the customers return to them again.
Effective and affordable pest control services for your business
Roshan Pest Control is the leading provider of pest control services in Mumbai, India. We offer an all-inclusive range of Professional and Affordable Pest control Services that help in terminating all types of pests in one service and discouraging them from returning.
For having a pest-free environment in your restaurant or manufacturing unit, contact us and speak to our trained household pest control experts and learn more about the best general pest control treatment for your business.