By following a strict regime of hygiene, storage, sealing any possible entry points and dealing with waste, pest contamination can be avoided within your commercial food store. It is important to have a consistent plan in place to avoid any issues with pests that may cause contamination to your stored foods.
Food stores can provide pests with food, shelter and suitable living conditions. Pests such as rodents, cockroaches, ants, flies and stored product insects can all get into your store through small gaps, delivery items and surrounding areas. Cleanliness alone will not always be enough.
Keep Food Properly Sealed and Stored
How you store your food will directly impact the pest activity. Dry food items should be stored in neat closed containers, use food grade containers that have secure lids. Don’t place food items directly on the floor, instead, use clean pallets or shelves. By leaving space between your stored items, it will make it easier to spot any signs of pest activity such as droppings, damages in packaging, insects etc.
Rotate your stock so that you do not leave old items sitting around for too long. Using a first in first out system can help reduce the risk of pest’s infestation.
Inspect Incoming Food Deliveries
Before your products get into your store, take precautionary steps to get rid of pests from the stock. Sometimes deliveries can contain insects/rodents in boxes, cartons, pallets etc. When receiving your deliveries staff should check;
- For holes, tears and gnawing in the packaging
- Insects/larvae
- Droppings or unusual smells
- Damaged cartons
- Evidence of damp/mould
If any items look suspicious, they should be isolated and checked.
Seal Gaps and Possible Entry Points
Despite having a clean storage area pests can still get in if they have easy access. Check around your walls, doors, windows, ceiling, drains, utilities and pipework for any gaps. Any small gaps or holes should be filled with an appropriate sealant. Ensure your doors are closing correctly and any damaged window mesh or ventilation covers are fixed. Pay particular attention to areas where pipework, electricity cables and other services are coming into the building. It is important to take some physical steps to avoid pests getting into your storage area as this is one of the main ways they can get into commercial premises.
Maintain Strict Cleaning Standards
Food residues and spilled ingredients will easily attract pests. Therefore, it is important to have a regular cleaning schedule. Spills should be cleaned up straight away. Be sure to clean around corners, under shelves, behind equipment and other areas that can be easily missed. Clean your shelves and pallets regularly. Along with cleaning you should also check for any signs of any pest infestations. If you spot any signs of droppings, dead insects, insect wings, damaged packaging or unusual pest activity then you should investigate.
Waste management
Waste can quickly attract pests like rodents, flies and cockroaches. Food waste should be stored in covered bins and removed regularly. Ensure that your waste containers are cleaned when needed. Do not let outside waste areas become a source of pest activity.
Control Moisture and Stagnant Water
Food will be the obvious attraction to pests, but damp can also attract them. Check for any leak in water channels, faulty fridge units, condensation, blocked drains or damp areas. Any leaking should be fixed quickly. Ensuring your area is well ventilated and has good drainage will also help.
Schedule Regular Pest Checkups
Waiting until noticing visible pest activity is not recommended. By doing regular checks you can spot any signs of activity and precautionary measures is better than treating heavy infestations. A professional pest check includes checking your storage areas, any entry points, waste areas, drainages, loading areas and other areas that could be a possible hotspot. By monitoring you can also understand the type of pest and its source. Using professional pest control companies in Dubai will be very beneficial for food-based businesses.
Train Staff to Recognize Early Signs
Most of the times, staffs will be the first to notice anything wrong. Basic training can help staff identify any signs of pests such as droppings, gnawing, abandoned nesting sites, damaged packaging, odd smells and regular sightings. The quicker they are reported the quicker the management can intervene in the issue.
Use Professional Management When Necessary
If you are still having issues with pests in your food storage area despite good hygiene and storage then you may need to use a professional service. If you try to deal with the issue yourself without considering the source of the issue then it may only be a short-term fix. Professional pest control not only helps to eliminate the existing pests, but also helps to minimize the chances of another pest infestation. This can include checking, monitoring, prevention advice, targeted treatment and regular follow up.
When looking for pest control in Dubai for your food-based business, it is best to find ones with experience in commercial and food-based environments. A safe, documented, monitored and preventive approach will be the best to look for.
Prevention is Better
Pest contamination in your commercial food storage can impact the quality of your products, hygiene and business. By regularly monitoring, you can keep your food storage areas cleaner, safer and less appealing to pests. Ensure offer commercial pest control services to warehouses, food manufacturing and other commercial environments. We have a systematic process to monitor, identify, prevent and control pests.