[Insect Control] Ten Commandments for Quality Pest Management in a Food Processing Facility

Pest management is challenging in a food processing facility — the abundance of food, ideal moisture and temperature conditions, extended business hours and various harborage sites all contribute to the pest control problem.

William Kolbe, BCE and market development specialist for BASF Professional Pest Control, is all too familiar with these challenges. In his current position, he provides technical training and coordinates various university research projects, and spent 29 years in the field with Western Pest Services as technical services manager and corporate staff entomologist. Over the course of his career, Kolbe has solved persistent pest problems in all kinds of food facilities, and helped food processors to avoid unnecessary fines or closure due to failed inspections. Here he offers his 10 commandments of pest management in food processing facilities.

1. Make pest management a priority. Since pest control is just one aspect of an audit inspection, it is often treated as a check box on a to-do list. This, of course, is a huge mistake. First, many insects can carry disease-causing pathogens that may be transferred to food and, in turn, people. In some cases, insects are accidentally processed directly into the product. 

Even if a health threat is avoided, pests still can damage a processor’s reputation. Stories of food borne illnesses and rampant pest infestations topped the news in 2007 — everyone remembers the media coverage of rampant rats in a New York fast food chain. Although this was an extreme case, it demonstrates the media frenzy and public outcry that can develop around a pest infestation. Pest management failures are bad for individual businesses and the industry at large.

2. Work with a professional. Whether a facility uses an in-house or contracted pest control operator (PCO), it is important for a facility to be under the care of a trained professional. To be an integral part of the team, the PCO must be knowledgeable about the plant’s prerequisite programs or GMPs, approved product lists and sanitation programs. PCOs also should be aware of new pest control products and application techniques to fully offer the facility the best pest management program. 

3. Know your facility. Food processing facilities represent a constantly changing environment. Whether it is a new product on the line, different agency audits or new government regulations, it can be difficult to keep up. These changes can greatly affect a pest management program, making it essential that facility managers know about changes and effectively communicate them to their pest professional.

4. Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals. Most facility managers put their trust in a PCO to handle all aspects of the pest management program, but it is important that the facility manager be familiar with the fundamentals. A pest management program always begins with an inspection, where the PCO will look for signs of active infestation and pest entry points, and identify invading insects. If the quality assurance staff is familiar with the basics, they can monitor the situation in between scheduled visits and alert PCOs to potential infestations.

5. Develop a treatment plan. Collaborating with the facility’s QA staff is the best way to guarantee that a treatment plan will be successful. By working together, PCOs can share with QA personnel any operational issues, including production schedules, which may jeopardize the integrity of the program. Together, they also can develop reasonable expectations that take into account the products used in treatment, the severity of the infestation and sanitation protocols.

6. Be proactive. To help prevent future infestations, quality assurance personnel can help to develop proactive prevention programs. There are multiple steps to any prevention program: inventory inspection, sanitation and hot spot identification are just some of the most important. QA staff should schedule at least annual meetings with their PCO, technical personnel and management. To successfully follow a prevention program, a PCO needs to train plant employees on the aspects of the program, including inspecting all incoming inventory and maintaining stock through the “first in, first out” method.

7. Sanitize, don’t just clean. Processing equipment should not only be clean but sanitized. Cleaning is simply removing dirt or debris, whereas sanitizing actually removes surface bacteria and microorganisms. Research has shown that pests can survive pesticide exposure when they have access to even small amounts of food. Proper sanitation is essential for pest control products to work effectively.

8. Identify pest hot spots. While specific hot spots can vary from facility to facility, there are general areas of any structure that require special attention to ensure a pest-free environment. The most common hot spots include entrance and exit points, waste management systems, outdoor lighting fixtures and cleaning supply storage areas. Neighboring facilities also may lead to a pest problem, as pests will travel from facility to facility. PCOs also should be aware of any restricted areas, since many locked areas can be the cause of pest problems. Thorough inspections, regular maintenance and proper sanitation of these areas will help prevent future pest infestations.

9. Educate your employees. To have an effective pest management program, every facility should have an employee training program that includes sanitation and pest control basics. A facility’s PCO can walk employees through basic pest identification, hot spot monitoring, and sanitation techniques. It also is important to perform self-inspections to measure the effectiveness of the training, based on the performance of the employees.

10. Stick with it. Don’t let pest management once again be relegated to a check-box on a to-do list. Once your facility has a successful pest management program, it is imperative to continue scheduled inspections, maintenance, and training.

The author is a board certified entomologist and market development specialist for BASF Professional Pest Control.