Baking&Snack - April 2011 - 101

101
grams, Mr. Baumann added. Plants need a mechanism in place to ensure that if a line employee sees a pest, there is way to log it. “Then, the next time the professional pest control company comes in, they will note that somebody saw some flies at a location. They can go look and see what they can find,” he said. However, bakeries should never let employees research their own concoctions and mix chemicals. “You might say that is common sense,” Mr. Baumann said. “But I speak a lot to outside groups, and it is amazing how many times people — in-house employees, not necessarily at bakeries — will ask things like, ‘Can I mix ammonia and this? I hear that really works.’ And the answer is, ‘No. Do not try to do that.’ I think that is probably the worst possible situation.” Also, if a company is doing in-house pest control, Mr. Baumann stressed that managers should do their homework, attend conferences and learn what products work and which ones are not so effective in their situation. Some products, for example, should not be laid down in high-moisture areas because they will just wash away. “I would say, ‘Keep up with the latest technology and make sure your toolbox includes the latest research,’” he added. A pest management program must be an integral part of every bakery or snack manufacturing facility. Not taking the risks associated with pests seriously could cause severe consequences to the company and its brands. Whether pest management is handled in-house or through a vendor, companies must be vigilant in assessing and monitoring the programs they have in place. Employees must understand and be involved for a plant to have the most effective program. ◾

AIM Higher
Assess. Implement. Monitor. AIM describes the three cornerstones to Orkin’s integrated pest management approach. Effective pest management is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process, according to Orkin, LLC, Atlanta, GA. It developed AIM as a way to cycle through these three critical activities to properly control pests. Assess. First, pest specialists inspect, identify and evaluate the underlying reasons why pests infest a facility. Comprehensive inspections are used to detect any sanitation issues or structure conditions conducive to pests. Identification of pest activity reports any evidence of pest infestation. Risk evaluation is used to consider any reason the facility or its geography may be conducive to pest activity. Implement. Because cookie-cutter pest management solutions are ineffective, the company’s pest specialists work with facilities to develop customized solutions to meet their needs. By focusing on prevention, the program can start with exclusion, sanitation and other nonchemical options. If products are needed to control pests, specialists will chose the most effective treatments with the least impact on the environment. Also, Orkin offers sanitation consultations to ensure a facility’s cleaning efforts have a real impact on potential pest hot spots. Monitor. During regular inspections, pest specialists look for signs of pest activity and pest-friendly conditions. And lastly, they document and communicate any issues after each visit, including services performed, pest activity and any recommendations.

▲ Devices such as pheromone traps help monitor for stored-product pests. These traps employ a synthetic mimic of pheromones, the chemical secretions insects use to communicate with one another.
ORKIN

▶ All boxes and materials that enter the facility must carefully be inspected for signs of infestation, which can include webbing, damaged ingredients or packaging, insect larvae, or insects themselves. Cockroaches feed on the glue that holds boxes together.
ORKIN

www.bakingbusiness.com

April 2011 / BAKING & SNACK

http://www.bakingbusiness.com

Baking&Snack - April 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking&Snack - April 2011