Pest Control Pests & Food Three kinds of pests are commonly found in places where food for human consumption is prepared or stored : Rodents – such as mice & rats. Insects – such as houseflies, cockroaches, ants & a variety of other insects associated with food. Birds – such as wild pigeons, magpies & sparrows. These pests eat & spoil food. They also transfer to the food the food poisoning bacteria they carry on their bodies & in their excreta.

Common Pests Rats & mice Mice & young rats can enter premises through a hole no larger than he diameter of a pencil. Once established within premises these pests are difficult to eradicate because of their high rate of breeding & resistance to chemical poisons. They will make nests in or near food premises using old packaging & food refuse. Rats & mice carry bacteria on their fur & feet, & in their droppings & urine. They contaminate & spoil food in addition to eating it. In particular, they will attack stored food & this is one reason why storage areas must be checked & cleaned frequently. Houseflies Houseflies usually enter food premises through open doors, windows & ventilators. The pests breed from May to September anywhere there is de-composing food, faeces or general refuse. Just as they breed anywhere, houseflies will feed anywhere & may have enjoyed a meal in a sewer minutes before settling on a cream cake. A house fly will vomit & defecate on the food it is eating & its legs & body will further contaminate the food, then it will depart. Fly screens on the window & self closing doors help keep out flies & other insects. Do not use fly sprays in the food area.

Cockroaches These pests are difficult to spot. Cockroaches live behind woodwork & in drains. They may be brought into premises with incoming food supplies so they need to be checked carefully. Cockroaches come out at night. Removing an infestation of cockroaches is a specialist task requiring the use of dangerous chemicals. Keeping surfaces clean & by generally avoiding a build up of grease of food residues will help prevent them. Birds Birds gain access through doors, windows & ventilator openings. Many commonly found birds scavenge from domestic foods & contaminate food supplies through contact with their bodies, beaks or their excreta. Milk left outside premises is a common target. Once established, birds are difficult to get rid of,birds thrive in the vicinity of take away food shops & open air eating places. Professional pest controllers use nets & baits to trap birds & employ various techniques to deny them perches

Preventing Access Pests seek food, warmth & shelter You should: Keep doors & windows closed so far as is practicable. Use fly screens on windows. Check deliveries for pests Find the ways by which pets gain access. Do not do anything to attract pests to the premises, eg, leaving kitchen waste uncovered in the outside bin. Denying Pests Favourable Conditions You can never be sure that pests will be kept out, but you can limit the pests opportunities for contaminating food & the workplace. Remove food particles & spillages from work-surfaces & floors. Do not leave utensils & equipment lying around unclean. Maintain a high standard of general cleaning. Cover any food that requires to “stand out “. Do not leave food out overnight. Store dried foods in tightly lidded containers. Regularly check all food storage areas. Empty waste bins regularly throughout the day & particularly at the end of the day.

Spotting Pests Always look for the following signs: Droppings Marks on foods Small mounds of food debris Nibbled wrappings, holes in cardboard containers or pecked milk tops. Pest carcases Unusual smells Damage to woodwork – mice & rats gnaw. Look for signs particularly in the early morning as many pests do their work at night. Get rid of any food that you suspect may have been contaminated by pests. Getting Rid Of Pests Expert advice can be obtained from the Environmental Health Department of the local authority or from specialist private contractors. The main steps that can be taken are: Trapping & catching pests such as rodents & insects. Many kinds of traps are available but knowledge of the habit of pests is needed for compete success. Laying poisons or other chemical substances, they must be handled with great care, kept away from food & be stored in a secure place. Special cleaning of floors & surfaces may be necessary after such operation.