Ensuring Food Safety with Effective Pest Control Practices
Food storage in the home as well as in commercial kitchens is not without its own problems. Sure, we all need to eat, but so does pests. A pest problem in any food-related commercial facility can not only cause financial loss but also irreparable damage to the company’s reputation.
If you own a business, whether its in Los Angeles or elsewhere, then, you know full well that its just hard work. You get up early, you finish late, each day thinking of what is needed tomorrow. If you own a restaurant, then, is the stock for tomorrow fresh? All types of factors go in to operating a business. The last thing any business owner wants is to deal with pest problems.
Here are a some great and practical techniques to stay on top of the pest problem and to prevent pest infestations in your food related facility or even home.
Assess The Risks for Successful Pest Control & Management
Certain foods need refrigeration or some other method of preservation, and some may have shorter shelf life like fruit and vegetables. Drier foods like cereals and grains are also not safe from pests as ants, cockroaches, and even termite can find their way into these boxes. The humidity level where the food is stored, the general dampness or heat are all matters to consider.
Never overlook environmental risk factors and consequences when you are storing a good quantity of food in any space. Certain places in the world (certain climates such as California) are prone to overbreeding of specific pests such as mice and termites. Its always wise to assess the risks the environment poses. Furthermore: speaking with nearby business owners about any pest problem that they may have dealt with is a great idea. For example: if you do own take-away shop or operate a restaurant in LA, simply visit other similar businesses nearby y and ask the owner / manager "if they had any pest problems before".
After you have assessed and noted the pests prevalent in your area that your stock may be most vulnerable to, use integrated pest control measures. Then, consider improving your defenses before any infestation occurs. You can do this by using specific pest control chemicals with right amount of dosage to prevent or treat current / or / future infestation. You can conduct property inspection and look for any entryways that requires repairs or maintenance (e.g. cracked door or window frames, look for any signs of pests around fridges or freezers etc.), place baits according to the pest problems such as rats and mice.
One thing that is critically important is to understand that incorrect chemical use can not only potentially poison the food, adversely affect employees working around the space, but also unsuccessfully treat the pest or insect infestation and cause it to worsen over time. That means, seek professional pest control advice from licensed experts nearby you when you are unsure about which or what amount of pesticide or rodenticide to use.
Pest Control Management Plan
Now that you’ve identified the risks, type of pests or insects that may attack your property and foods within, increased your defenses. Writing down your plan and making sure that your staff is aware of it is the next step of action. Should you (or your employee) require to conduct regular inspections or implement pest control strategies for management, make sure that logs are kept.
If you are engaging a professional pest control company in Los Angeles California, make sure you are not getting the usual one size fits all pest control program other companies usually offer, instead, consider getting treatment plans that is tailored to your specific requirements.
Protecting Food Products
Packaging and storage material is also vital part of the pest control process as any expert will tell you. Protection in this sense begins with correct storage. Because depending on the food item/s, some may need to be in cold storage, airtight containers, and other protective covering or some may be kept in a dry place away from heat and moisture. Incorrectly storing food is like sending out an invitation to common pests such as rats, mice or cockroaches as well as wild life such as Raccoons
You already know the importance of hygiene in the storage space where food is handled. but your staff (particularly new employees or an apprentice chefs) may not. That means, make sure that everyone is on the same boat understanding the importance of cleanness and hygiene and how it relates to pest control.
Several insects like scavenger beetles, ants or pests such as mice and cockroaches are difficult to spot at first especially within large environment. It is therefore vital to note that many pests may not even initially feast on the stored food but rather devour materials like fabric, cardboard, or other outer packaging.
Sodium vapor lighting in the food storage facility or sharp LED lighting is irritating to some insects and pest species, thus can act as a repellent. The building should also be inspected for open crevices or humidity levels. Learn about the importance of crawl space encapsulation for effective pest control. If there are plants in the vicinity (a kitchen garden, indoor plants, or horticultural establishments) there needs to be an adequate pest control measures accordingly.
Contact Commercial Pest Control Experts Ready to Serve Throughout Los Angeles CA
Almost everyone knows the saying "prevention is better than cure". This isn’t a saying for our expert pest control technicians because we live by this motto when serving our valued clients.
We can make sure that thorough inspection is conducted for your property, couple that with strategic line of defense against pests and insects = prevention as well as elimination of pests.
All of our pest control and wildlife removal services are backed with a 100% satisfaction value for money guarantee. Being locally owned, licensed and insured pest control professionals we offer the outcomes our valued customers rely on. Competitive rates, proven results and exceptional customer service is what you’ll get when you get our commercial pest control solutions.
When you send us a message using the button below, you can arrange a suitable time for initial property inspection, or simply inquire about our flexible service rates other business owners already appreciate.
