HOW TO PREVENT PEST INFESTATION AT FOOD PREMISE?

Pest is a carrier of food-borne disease pathogen.  They can contaminate the food and food contact surface which is then causing food poisoning.  Thus, food handlers must prevent pest infestation at their food premise.  The pest controlling in food premise is not just setting traps or bait.  There are basic routine tasks that should be maintained every day.   

Food handlers must clean the food premise adequately.  After business hours, food handlers should initiate a thorough cleaning on the premise for removing food scrap (left by customers) or other waste.  It is good to check the cleanliness before leaving the food premise. Food should be stored or covered properly. Food spillage due to improper food storing would attract pest easily.  Wash the equipment as soon as possible after customers leave or after the production works (for food processing factory).

While cleaning the food premise and washing the equipment, food handlers should put the waste and food scrap into rubbish bags, tie and throw it in waste bin.  It is a hygienic practice to use foot-activated waste bin.  Food handlers should make sure that the waste bin is enclosed tightly all the time.  The waste must be thrown outside the food premise in a bigger waste bin every day.  And, the bigger waste bin should be closed properly too to avoid sting smell that could attract pests, such as cockroaches, mouse, lizard. 

We could prevent pest from entering premise by sealing all the gaps.  For instance, installing strong wire mesh on the drainage exit could prevent mouse from entering the premise. Floor traps, gullies and downpipes should be covered with grating.  Food handler must ensure the food premise (especially before leaving the premise) that any gaps, holes and crevices on the wall, ceiling or floor are covered and sealed. For food processing workshop or factory, food business owner can install self-closing doors, air curtains or plastic sheets at the entrance to food preparation area and ensure all doors are always closed.  

While inspecting food premise, food handlers could also check if there are “dead spaces” or unused containers, equipment or machines still available in the food premise. Manage the stuff storage, throw out the unused stuffs would help preventing pest infestations.  Pest would gather in such stuff and reproduce.  Besides, do arrange frequent housekeeping on this place too. 

Quality Control in food processing factory must ensure all incoming raw material, equipment, machineries, chemicals and packaging material are free from any pest, before permitting to moved into food processing area.  Food factory has ample space and so pest control program should be implemented to avoid pest infestation. 

The presence of pest would contaminate food and spreading disease, which then resulting food damage and food poisoning. When this is happening, Food business owner would have to bear the revenue loss and perhaps the legal penalty incurred by Health Department officers. Therefore, steps to prevent pest infestation must be strictly implemented.  

x