The most important and most effective way to control pests in a food establishment is to implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This is an ongoing cycle of inspecting, identifying, analyzing, and treating pests in the establishment.
FURTHER EXPLANATION
There are several steps in implementing the IPM.
1. The first step is to look at the entire establishment and identify areas where pests come through.
2. Once the areas where pests may enter and exit the establishment are identified, an action plan to ensure that pests are unable to pass through are put in place such as covering holes or entry points. Keeping the areas clean and sanitized and observing proper waste disposal are also key practices to help prevent infestation.
3. The kind of pests should also be identified and monitored to be able make an appropriate treatment plan based on their behavior. The correct selection of pest control treatment is necessary to ensure that the treatment is specific to the kind of pests that are found on the site. Also, an analysis of why these pests are found on site must be conducted so that further preventive measures may be put in place.
4. When planning and implementing pest control measures start with non-chemical methods first like baiting and trapping pests. Only when these methods fail should chemical control methods be used and only with doses specifically needed for the identified and targeted pests.
5. Proper documentation of the pest control cycle must be prepared for a smooth implementation of the continuous integrated pest management.
LEARN MOREfood safety good hygiene practices sanitation
Keywords: sanitation, pest control
