It’s rather a cliche; nevertheless, the old wisdom remains true, “prevention is better than cure.”
Pests are an invisible adversary in the food industry, and it is often ignored or taken for granted. However, it is conventional wisdom and common sense that pests are attracted to food items, and the food industry is a major victim of this fatal attraction.
The food Industry includes food transportation services, catering businesses, restaurants, cafeterias, cafés, fast-food joints, pubs, delis, and food manufacturing operations. Therefore, pest control is important in the entire Food Industry sector. Thereby it is mandatory to have a proper pest control system.
India, for millenniums, has always been an agrarian society. Agriculture is quite dominant in India. The subtropical climate is ideal for Agriculture, and the flourishing of flora and fauna also increases the infestation of pests. Apart from the climatic conditions, overall hygiene ought to be maintained in other departments of the food industry.
Houseflies often hover over food items at local restaurants in India. Such callousness does impact the health and safety of the consumers. Therefore, pest control in India is vital to ensure the overall safety and health of the nation. The covid-19 pandemic has already exposed our vulnerability, and maintaining utmost hygiene is mandatory. Therefore, understanding the nitty-gritty of pest control is important.
Challenges that pests can cause:
- Spread of disease.
- Ruin equipment, for instance, cockroaches and Rodents, are lethal and damage the wirings of microwaves.
- Contaminated food would destroy the reputation and bring heavy losses.
Pests Found in Food Industry
Flies:
If you’ve ever tried roadside food in India, one insect hovers around the food item: flies. We Indians voluntarily turn a blind eye to this insect while relishing roadside food, but when it comes to restaurants and other eateries, we are quite particular about this insect. Flies contaminate food items and carry bacteria that could cause 100+ diseases. In addition, flies fly over sewage, garbage, and faeces, which causes food contamination which eventually results in diseases like Diarrhea, cholera, and Dysentery. The two lethal variants in flies are fruit flies and drain flies.
Cockroaches:
This nocturnal insect can withstand a nuclear bomb and thrives in the food industry. It carries 33 types of bacteria and various diseases, such as salmonella, Shigella, and parasitic worms. In addition, the legs of cockroaches are drenched with sewer waste and crawl around, contaminating the food in restaurants, bakeries, and storehouses. Nearly 3000 species of cockroaches exist around the globe, and oriental cockroaches are indeed quite lethal and have the potential to cause diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid.
The incredible survival capability of cockroaches is quite fascinating. For example, many cockroaches can survive in travel luggage and endure intercontinental journeys.
Rodents:
This creature played havoc on the population for centuries. Remember the Black Death plague during the medieval period. Although mankind has conquered this devastating disease; nevertheless, a rodent is a huge problem in the food industry. In India, there are several restaurants in dilapidated conditions, and such places are infested with rats. Rats are usually in proximity to food sources, and they rip off the packaging, drop fur or urinate on food and contaminate it; they damage electrical pieces of equipment, causing unnecessary expenditure.
Pests on Stored Product
Dried food products in restaurants, homes, godowns or grocery stores could be contaminated with pests like moths, beetles, and Weevils. It not only contaminates food items but also causes foul smells and bacteria. In addition, stored food causes various diseases such as Chikungunya, Zika Virus, and Lyme virus.
Pest Control Prevention
Pests are ubiquitous and ought to be weeded out; hence, it is important to train the staff and ensure they are aware of it. Make it mandatory to check any pests on boxes.
There should be a standard procedure related to pest control, and every staff is cascaded information about pest control procedures.
The best option is to keep a pest control technician. To fight this menace of pests, it’s better to hire a pest control service. We at Xperts Pest Control are professionals who provide termite control, Cockroach control, and Bed bug control. The ideal thing is to take immediate action whenever there are any traces of pests.
What should you do after pest control:
- Vacate the place and wait for some of the recommended time.
- If there are any leftover food items, remove them immediately.
- Don’t start moping the floor and cleaning
- Hire a plumber and repair any leaks, as it might again start the re-infestation of pests
- Clean the entire place and discard any old papers, especially newspapers. It’s food for many pests
- Always use gloves while you handle anything
- Do not neglect if you find any dead pests, as there is a possibility that dead pests can attract more pests. Hence, remove them immediately.
In the food industry, immediate action is required when there are traces of pests. The industry is huge, and the stakes are high.
