Pest Control for Food Businesses: Common Pests and How to Stop Them
Pests are more than just an inconvenience in a food business - they’re a serious health hazard.
From rodents to insects, pests can contaminate food, damage property, and destroy a business’s reputation. Effective pest control starts with knowing the most common threats and how to prevent and manage them.
Rodents: Rats and Mice
Rodents live on food scraps and waste, carrying dangerous pathogens on their bodies and in their droppings. If these contaminate food or contact surfaces, they can cause severe food-borne illnesses, sometimes with fatal consequences. Rodents also damage packaging, ruin stored food, and can even harm building structures.
Signs of infestation include:
- Bite marks on packaging
- Droppings
- Sightings of rodents or nests made from paper or soft materials
- Tracks in dust or dirt (easier to see with a flashlight)
Prevention tips:
- Block entry points by sealing holes and cracks in walls and floors
- Remove waste frequently from both inside and outside
- Store food at least 15cm (6 inches) off the floor in sealed containers
Control methods:
- Glue boards (more effective for mice than rats)
- Spring traps with fresh bait
- Licensed pest control use of poisonous baits (never in food prep areas)
Flies
Flies can enter buildings easily and spread more than 100 pathogens - including E. coli and Salmonella – through their bodies, eggs, droppings, and vomit. They’re considered a greater health hazard than cockroaches due to their speed in transferring bacteria.
Signs of infestation include:
- Large numbers of flies in food areas
- Clusters of eggs or larvae (maggots) in warm, moist, decaying material
Prevention tips:
- Keep garbage areas clean and waste sealed
- Shut or screen windows, doors, and vents
- Seal cracks and holes (flies can get through openings as small as a pinhead)
Control methods:
- Fly sprays (only when food areas are closed and cleaned afterward)
- Fly-kill equipment such as electrocution devices (at least 2m away from food) or fly strips (changed regularly)
Cockroaches
Cockroaches carry bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses on their bodies. They thrive in dark, warm, and moist areas, often behind machinery, in drains, or near pipes. Seeing one during daylight hours may indicate a large infestation.
Signs of infestation include:
- Strong, oily odour
- Brown, oval droppings
- Sightings in food prep areas or storage
Prevention tips:
- Store food properly and control waste
- Regularly inspect high-risk areas
- Use glue boards for monitoring
Control methods:
- Traps and baits (with care to avoid contamination)
- Repellents (liquids, powders, mists - never near food)
- Sprays as a last resort, only when the kitchen is closed and cleaned afterward
Weevils
Weevils are small beetles found in dried goods like flour, cereals, pasta, spices, and baking mixes. They often enter a food business through infested deliveries.
Prevention tips:
- Inspect all deliveries carefully, checking for movement in products
- Store dried foods in tightly sealed containers
- Clean and sanitize storage containers between uses
Control methods:
- Discard all contaminated food immediately
- Clean and sanitize all containers and storage areas
- Discard any unsealed food that could be infested
Building a Pest Control Plan
Effective pest management in a food business should include:
- Routine inspections of all high-risk areas
- Secure, frequent waste removal
- Professional pest control support when needed
A proactive approach not only helps meet health regulations but also protects the safety of customers and the reputation of the business.
Training Employees to Spot and Report Pests
Even the best pest control measures can fail if employees don’t know what to look for.
Staff should be trained to:
- Recognize early signs of infestation, such as droppings, bite marks, odours, or insect activity
- Understand where pests are most likely to hide or enter the building
- Follow correct procedures for handling and storing food to prevent attracting pests
- Report any pest sightings or signs immediately to a supervisor or manager
Involving the entire team in pest prevention not only strengthens a food business’s defence against pests but also builds a culture of vigilance and responsibility.
The Food Handler Certification program offered by Userve covers pest control management in detail. It ensures that pest awareness stays top of mind and helps identify issues before they become serious infestations.
