Pests such as rodents, insects and birds create a very real risk of food contamination as well as the possibility of disease transmission to personnel and damage to the structure and services of production premises.

It is vitally important that steps are taken to prevent pest problem and to ensure constant monitoring is in place. This guarantees that if a problem does arise, it does not become a crisis.

Pest control is reduction or eradication of pests such as flies, cockroaches, mice and rats, as well as weevils and other insects that can infest food. Pest control cannot be effectively accomplished unless and until proper clearing has occurred. If no pests are present, cleaning followed by sanitising is sufficient. If however, pests are present, they must be controlled before sanitisation. This is because the pests will recontaminate any surface that may have been sanitised.

The control of pests and use of pesticides are particularly critical in places where food is prepared, served or packaged. Regulatory action can be taken if food becomes contaminated, or is prepared, packed or held under conditions where it could become contaminated with insect fragments, rodent hair, bird feathers, faeces, etc. The management is ultimately responsible for identifying a competent person to develop a pest prevention and control programme. They must be given the necessary support to carry out the programme and ensure that pesticides are used appropriately.

Persons who apply pesticides in industrial and institutional settings have a responsibility to use pesticides correctly (according to label instructions), and to be certain that there is no hazard to man or the environment. They should guard against the spread of microorganisms and filth by flying and crawling insects, rats, mice and other vermin.

Pest control is often ignored until pests and their damage are discovered. For example, if rodents or insects are found in a food storage room, temporary measures are taken to eliminate them. The real problem, however, is not corrected. This situation needs a sustained effort, including: inspecting incoming food for evidence of insects or rodents before storing it, rodent proofing the room, storing the food off the floor, keeping the room clean, and inspecting the room for insect and rodent activity on a regular basis.

The method of treating a single outbreak is a poor concept of sanitation. In the heavily regulated food industry, this could be disastrous since contaminated food can be seized and destroyed and fines levied against the company. Embarrassment, bad publicity and economic loss to an industry or institution can sometimes be worse than regulatory actions. Take every fitting precaution to exclude the pests from all sections of the processing plant.

Pests in food processing plants and retail food stores present a major challenge to managers, who must constantly maintain the high standards of cleanliness expected of them by consumers as well as by government inspectors.

Food plant personnel are often actively involved in the pest control process and want regular updates on activities, pest populations, sanitation problems and pesticide applications.

In food plants, the pesticides that can be used and their methods of application are more restricted and regulated than in other kinds of establishments. The government regulates the precise amounts of pesticide residues that are permitted in the finished product. Stores that stock food cannot afford to stock pests too. Yet a retail food store seems ready-made for pests, with food and people flowing in and out each day. Markets are also full of hiding places where pest populations can build up unnoticed, to escape into new sites through false floors and ceilings, cooler tops, sub-floor refrigeration conduits, restocked merchandise, and cardboard packaging.

Sanitation and food protection are of primary concern for food stores. Most customers need only find a single roach crawling out of their groceries to decide to shop elsewhere. Customer loyalty is a fragile thing. A store that is not clean or that regularly sells contaminated or unwholesome food will soon be shut down - if not by bad publicity, then by the authorities. Clearly, both food processing plants and retail food stores need comprehensive pest management programmes on an ongoing basis. Larger food plants, in particular, often will not permit a pesticide application without seeing and approving a specific plan of action. They are motivated by two considerations: the risk of illegal residues in foods and the restrictions authorities impose on employee exposure to pesticides. In fact, these programmes are examples of good pest management.

Typically, a technician inspects and monitors the facility on a scheduled basis. If a pest problem is discovered, it is reported in writing, along with any sanitation, operational, or structural problems that contributed to the infestation. Then a formal plan of action (a very specific treatment plan) is presented for approval. Once approved, the treatment is scheduled, the line shut down where necessary, and the treatment accomplished. The advantage here is that everyone has bought into the plan, and full cooperation on sanitation or structural improvement can be expected. Some managers of smaller food plants and of retail stores may feel that their pest control responsibilities end once they contract for the services of a PCO. It needs to be explained right from the beginning that effective pest control requires a partnership and that proper sanitation and building maintenance are the keys to successful pest control wherever food is present. Cooperation from all employees is a must and any evidence of p

ests or pest-related problems should be reported.

Before starting the initial in-depth inspection, a visit to the establishment a day or two before is needed to familiarise oneself with the general layout and talks with key employees. Gather basic information about unfamiliar processes and machinery and about operating procedures and determine "food flow" in the facility. The food and packaging that come in must eventually go out in some form or other. The longer food staya in storage, the more likely it is to become infested. Make sure to investigate: