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Pest Control – An Indispensible Service to The Food Industry

Pest Control – An Indispensible Service to The Food Industry

Posted by Muzi On 24 Oct, 2017

Why this service is a must for the food industry?

The food industry is a rapidly growing and extremely prevalent one in the global market. Whether a restaurant is purely local or has branches all over one of the common concerns they have is that of keeping pests at bay.

As important as it is to keep your home pest-free, it's even more important to keep your restaurant's kitchen pest-free. There are several ways pests can jeopardise your restaurant's name in the industry within Melbourne or world-over.

When a customer spots a pest in the seating area or signs of a pest within the food, they automatically doubt the sanitation measures your take. It also leads to a negative image about you as word spread quickly and before you know it you could be involved in a legal lawsuit.

Rats, ants, cockroaches, are famous culprits for bringing down a reputation. But did you know they also happen to be the ones responsible for the gravest diseases.

In addition, pests like beetles, birds, moths and other insects can also wreck a considerable amount of havoc. Oh yes, you do have a lot to deal with when it comes to these pests and if it grows into a full-fledged infestation let's just say the war against an infestation is not easy to win.

Moths, beetles, cockroaches, ants and rats are different from each other because the areas they strike in your restaurant and the food they choose to feed on is not entirely the same. Since their attack is different, their control is even tougher because the treatment against the infestation needs to be targeted effectively and with precision.

If you're getting into precise treatment you'll definitely need a low-down on Melbourne's most common pest and insect defaulters who are difficult to control in your home as well as at a restaurant.

Let's take a look at each pest and differentiate them on the basis of their characteristics, diet, hideouts, and methods for treatment against an infestation.

  • Rats

    Brown ratsRats are perhaps the most noticeable from all the other pests. However, the concept of seeing a rat in restaurant only worked in the movie Ratatouille.

    You most definitely wouldn't want to see it in your domestic kitchen or at the restaurant you're dining at. Therefore, it's safe to say that a rat infestation is an absolute no-no. Rats breed quickly and before you know it you will have an infestation gone completely out of control.

    Rats have extremely sharp teeth, which happen to keep growing throughout their life, and by gnawing at food, plastic, electrical wiring, etc they file their teeth.

    Restaurants and kitchens being flooded with food dishes and food ingredients, along with possessing great hideouts happen to attract entire clans of rats.

    The glaring fact however, is that, rats destroy food causing you monetary loss to deal with. And that's not even the worst part - have you considered the number of health issues rats could be transmitting in and around your kitchen and restaurant.

    Rat bite fever, salmonella, leptospirosis, murine typhus, these are just a few of diseases that rats cause by ticks on their body, urine, feces. Wherever the rats go they deposit these things thereby spreading the diseases at various touch points. Controlling the spread of these diseases become more and more difficult when rats are distributors.

  • Mice

    Commonly mistaken to be rats, mice are actually part of the same family. However they tend to prefer eating more of grains, wheat in particular. However, they have a special fondness for places where food is stored and cooked. You know what that means? It means your household kitchen as well as your restaurant's kitchen is at stake. Since they have the favorites mice are looking for and before you know it the mice infestation can go out of control.

  • Cockroaches

    CckroachesA cockroach is one type of pest that is believed to even survive a nuclear attack! Oh well then what threat can a restaurant kitchen pose? Whether it matches the entire criterion the cockroaches may be on the lookout for or just one, there's no escaping them. Any kitchen, whether in the house or in the restaurant has food and water so it most definitely will attract cockroaches.

    Also more importantly, there is always at least one entryway for cockroaches to find a way in. Think over it, the drain! Every kitchen has one and considering that cockroaches are freely available among drainage pipes, they are sure to find a way into your kitchen and into your restaurant. That brings us to the next important question, that since cockroaches roam in the filthiest of places they carry along with them various bacteria and organisms that can cause digestive and respiratory disorders. Not only is this harmful to your customers but to your staff as well. Do you really want to be known as a restaurant or name in the industry that has a highly questionable sanitation level?

  • Flies

    Food attracts flies and those are not what anyone wants near the food.

    Did you know when flies come in contact with food they actually vomit on it? And this is not even visible to the naked eye.

    To add to it, flies sit on the dirtiest of things and then land on food, contaminating it. It is a commonly known fact that flies are symbolic of unhygienic conditions. A fly infestation is every restaurant - owner's or chef's horror story. Flies can cause a number of digestive problems and infections.

  • Ants

    An ant is never alone but always soon accompanied by an army of fellow-ants. Attracted to food in every form - prepared or unprepared, ants can do a significant amount of damage to your culinary preparations.

    Additionally, they care capable of causing painful bites and stings that could be life-threatening to people who are allergic to their bites. Just think over it, what if your customer happened to take a spoonful of food that has an ant or two in it? They could get seriously bitten causing you to bear their medical bills!

  • Stored Product Insects

    Additionally, restaurants and kitchens also see a lot of insects that attack stored food. These include beetles, weevils, and sometimes even moths. Moths are attracted to dark places which often are how the food store room is, where raw materials are stored.

    As for insects, there are thousands of species that may easily be missed in the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen. Often food stored away might also fall prey to garnering an insect infestation. What this means is that you will be throwing away ration for a simple reason like an insect infestation, resulting in a lot of money going down the drain unnecessarily.

  • Birds

    PigeonsBirds can definitely be visitors at kitchens, especially if they've figured it out to be a hub of food. Not only might they be picking at the food they can be a huge nuisance to your customers.

    If the dining experience is situated outdoors all the more reason they will make you weary by having to watch out for your food, trying to scare you off. Oh yes, some birds can really be aggressive! Birds can also be problematic if they build nests in and around your kitchen or restaurant as they then bring along problems like droppings, ticks, fleas, dropped feathers, and nest debris.

    No one wants any of that falling into their food or develop respiratory problems from being exposed to them. Why take that risk when you can be rid of these pests.

There are several DIY options to get rid of pests in Melbourne. However, it is extremely important for you to be aware of what kind of pest it is, the depth of the problem and the best way to tackle it.

There are over the counter treatments to tackle infestations, however they do have some disadvantages:

  • They may not be able to eradicate the problem entirely if not applied correctly.
  • They may not be as effective as made out to be.
  • When it comes to pest infestation, over the counter treatments only tackle the existing pests and do not take care of eggs & pests that are still breeding behind the scenes.
  • Certain pests like possums are protected by the law and hence, you need to rid them from your home with skill and precision.
  • Some of the chemical sprays or treatments may be hazardous to yours and your family or pet's health.
  • Often when coupled together an overdose of pest control treatments can negate the effect of one or more of the applied treatments.
  • If you're seeking to educate your staff in handling pest infestation problems you may actually be spending more instead of what you would spend on a professional pest control service.
  • Over the counter treatments may not have a reliable guarantee to bank on thus making them useless spends.

It is highly recommended that you conduct professional pest control treatment whether for your home or for your restaurant. The main reason is that they have skilled professionals take to the task who effectively study the problem, its prevalence and come up with the best possible solution that won't harm your health.

Moreover, the pest professionals can leave a seal of guarantee once done with the work thereby assuring you as well as your customers of the place having been sanitised completely.

4/11 Cooper Street, Campbellfield,
VIC 3061, Australia

Phone: 1300 486 149, (03) 9449 4244
Mon - Fri: 8:30 AM - 5 PM
ABN: 46098709472
Email: sales@protechpestcontrol.com.au