MEAT+POULTRY - June 2015 - 75

S A N I TAT I O N T I P S

Usual suspects
An effective pest-control program begins with an
understanding of potential pests, their feeding habits,
where and how they live and various methods of
controlling and eliminating them. The most common pests
in food-processing facilities are cockroaches, insects -
including flies, ants and beetles - rodents and birds.

COCKROACHES
The most common pest found in food-processing facilities
is the roach, which has been shown to transmit diseases
including bacteria, such as Salmonella, Vibrio cholera,
Staphylococcus aureus and others - some in the insect's
gut and others on its exterior surface.
A good way to detect cockroaches is to enter a
darkened production or storage area, turn on the lights
and look for scurrying roaches. They can also be found
by inspecting inside electrical junction boxes, receptacles
and control panels or by looking behind objects and in
floor drains.
Prevention - The first step to prevent roaches
is eliminating places where they may live including
cardboard boxes. It's important to seal and fill cracks
and crevices throughout the plant in production and
nonproduction areas. Seal openings around conduits and
pipes where they pass through walls and ceilings.
Control - Chemical control of cockroaches requires
EPA-approved insecticides that are generally formulated
as sprays, aerosols and dusts.

FLYING INSECTS
The most common flying insects are the housefly and
fruit fly. A single housefly has been estimated to carry
up to 3.6 million bacteria. The movement of flies from
unwholesome food sources to fresh-food products,
production equipment and other surfaces provide endless
opportunities for them to transmit disease-causing
bacteria.
Prevention - The most effective method of fly
prevention is removing and eliminating breeding sites.
This primarily means the availability of garbage. It must
be located away from doors and removed frequently. Flies
must also be prevented from entering the food-processing
facility.
Control - Electrocution traps with blue fluorescent
light traps are effective in helping to reduce flying
insects. However, one drawback is that the traps cause
the flies to explode, which could allow for particles to

drift to areas around the trap. It's important not to put
these traps near food-handling areas. Instead, sticky
traps, baited jug traps or sticky ribbons are a better
alternative in these areas. Insecticidal sprays or fogs can
also be used to suppress flies.

RODENTS
The most common rodents in processing facilities are rats
and mice. They must be controlled because they can carry
disease and damage food containers and consume food.
Some signs of rodent infestation include droppings, visual
sightings, noises, smudge marks, tracks, gnawing and
urine stains.
Prevention - Remove clutter from food plant and
storage areas in order to eliminate rodent hiding places.
Food and water sources should also be eliminated. Finally,
rodents must be denied entry into the food plant. This
would include filling all structural cracks, screening fan
and vent openings and installing drain covers.
Control - Physical-control systems including traps,
ultrasonic devices, bait boxes and strategically placed
poisons can also be used.

BIRDS
Several species of birds carry disease and therefore pose
a risk to food-processing facilities. The most common bird
pests are pigeons, sparrows and starlings. Birds are hard
to eliminate after they frequent a food-processing facility.
Prevention - The best method of prevention is
eliminating nesting and feeding sites on the building.
Control - Bird-repellent systems often work to
scare and deter birds from roosting areas. These systems
include scaring devices, sticky pastes, electrical wires,
netting, entry barriers, needle strips, traps and poisons.
Pests are unavoidable in food-processing facilities, but
proper monitoring, sanitation and control techniques can
help stop pests from causing contamination and possibly
spreading disease.

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