Article contributed by Raymond Web, Take Care Termite and Pest Control
As a restaurant owner, you should be well aware of the dangers and repercussions of pest sightings at an eatery. Complaints of infestations, dead insects or their presence in a food item may attract penalties from the regulating authorities.
If you want to protect your restaurant from the common pests, you must first be well-aware of the variety and types of pests food joints are susceptible to, listed below:
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Rodents
Restaurants are the perfect location for rodents because of the multiple food and water sources available around the premises. It also provides them with a shelter and warmth, especially during the winter season. Rodents are widely known as food contaminators as they damage food, packaging, products, and even equipment through their gnawing, feeding and breeding. This poses a threat to the health and safety of a restaurant as they often carry illnesses which can be transferred through contact or their droppings. These include rat bit fever, salmonellosis, leptospirosis and murine typhus to name a few.
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Cockroaches
Cockroaches are particularly scary as they skitter in and out of cracks, crevices and dark corners very swiftly which is likely to leave both your customers and employees shuddering. These insects are capable of establishing large infestations quickly and can contaminate the area by releasing biowaste, such as feces, disgorged food, and their own foul smell. These pests are the most feared also because of their ability to pollute the air in the infested facility, which can contain parts of their excrements and exoskeletons. Thus, making it very important to take the necessary preventative measures to avoid their occurrence altogether.
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Flies
There are a number of fly species and each kind is attracted to different types of food odors generated by kitchens. For instance, fruit flies are attracted to fermented sugary liquids and can accumulate in bars and kitchens; while drain flies are attracted to rotting food and sewage as they tend to lay their eggs in organic waste and are often immune to regular cleaning chemicals. Flies are not only annoying but also carriers of vector borne diseases and harbor pathogenic bacteria. This makes it extremely important to identify the type of fly while carrying out pest control activities.
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Stinging Pests
Stinging pests include bees, wasps, mosquitoes are known to pose a big threat to food establishments that have an outdoor dining or waiting area. In addition to the inconvenience their presence can cause to your customers, their stings can be extremely painful and may trigger allergic reactions in some cases. Such insects can be hard to control as they usually move in swarms and also tend to build nests in areas where food can be found easily.
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Ants
Different types of ants can pose varied problems for restaurants, and therefore identification is crucial in order to determine proper treatment. While some ant species can be controlled using ant baits, others require different strategies. It is also necessary to trace the ants back to their colonies for effective treatment.
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Stored Product Pests
Every restaurant has food stored on the premises which is known to attract stored product pests such as moths, weevils, beetles and others. Even if your restaurant hasn’t had a pest problem before, these insects can arrive within your next food shipment and set up their residence in your cabinets, cupboards and shelves. These pests have the tendency to breed and build huge populations in very short amounts of time. They are also known to leave behind their eggs and larvae, thereby contaminating food items.
If you spot any of the common pests mentioned above or want to avoid the occurrence of such pests, you must look for an effective commercial pest control service that specializes in the food industry. You must already be aware that pest control is imperative to restaurant operators in order to avail the right licenses to run their establishment; however failure to meet the guidelines set by the food inspection agency continuously through the years of operation can also attract high fines and may even result in closure of the business. Not only is it important from a regulatory compliance point of view, but is also necessary for the longevity of your business too! So, be sure to bring in trained pest control professionals to help you ensure the integrity of your food joint!
When people find their homes and offices infested with pests, it is not uncommon for them to panic. Raymond Web has taken upon him the task to educate people on pest prevention and control strategies helping them keep their surroundings healthy, safe and pest-free. Being the digital marketing manager for Take Care Termite and Pest Control, in Tracy, CA, he has in-depth understanding of people and their pain points due to common pests, which he efficiently uses in his content to educate people and add value to their lives.
