Pests have only two goals in their short lives: to consume organic matter and reproduce. Finding food resources is easy for any insect or rodent living in an urbanized environment, since humans also need food to survive. Being incredibly savvy, opportunistic creatures, some pests can even detect rich sources of food by “smelling” the air with feelers that are coated with chemicals meant to lead them to food that may be miles away from their location..

1. In addition to contaminating food manufacturing equipment and the food itself with bacteria, viruses and other toxic microorganisms; insects, rodents and birds will also taint food with shed body hairs, urine, droppings, and eggs. Drains can also act as a magnet for drain fly infestations which can cause similar health hazards.
2. Not only are rodents adept at chewing through the toughest electrical wires to create imminent fire hazards, but insects like beetles and some ant species will gnaw into wires as well.
3. If a consumer finds evidence of pest contamination in products that have come directly from your facility, the consequences are potentially catastrophic, ranging from being shut down for weeks or months by the FDA or suffering such severe damage to the reputation of your facility that your business is no longer viable (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulations),
4. Neglecting to implement a pest control system in your food facility may result in employees becoming sick from pest-borne diseases. In addition to paying for their medical expenses, you could be sued for their pain and suffering, depending on the type and severity of the disease.
5. According to Pest Management in Food Processing Facilities: A Resource Guide, a single kernel of wheat provides enough sustenance to support the life span of three red flour beetles, one moth larvae and over 20 flat grain beetles. Moreover a mountain of entomological research indicates that when insects have just limited access to food resources, they are still more likely to survive exposure to pesticides.

Preventing a pest infestation problem before it occurs is the most cost-effective solution to any food facility owner’s pest control management plan. Regular inspections carried out by the professional technicians at Assured Environments will prevent your facility from suffering long-term damage caused by pest infestations that grow out of control and unmanageable by traditional practices. Schedule a tour today to ensure your facility remains pest free. Call us at (888) 840-8294.