Pizza Today -April2023 - 32

tend to be a warm-weather problem,
while cockroaches and flour beetles
are problems year-round, according to
Fredericks.
Hottel advises that " insects and
related arthropods are cold-blooded and
so their ability to survive and reproduce
will be tied to temperature. The time for
an insect to develop from egg to adult
will be faster during ideal temperatures. "
Inspect Deliveries
" Some pests are good hitch-hikers and
can be carried in on ingredients and
employee belongings, " such as the German
cockroach, says Hottel. " Check
incoming product deliveries to make sure
there are no pests being delivered. Have
a designated area for employees to store
their personal belongings and monitor
those areas for pests like cockroaches. "
Fredericks also urges operators to
inspect all incoming goods for signs of
insect or rodent activity. Corrugated
cardboard is a favorite place for roaches
to lodge. " Often you'll just see little
antenna sticking out. " In addition to
looking for the actual animals, " damaged
packaging is an indicator that you need
to take a closer look. " Cockroach feces
" might just look like little specks that are
almost pasted around the edges of gaps. "
Inspect Your Premises
Keep an eagle eye out for signs of
unwelcome creatures so you can address
the problem before it gets out of hand.
Williams suggests employing " a passive
monitor like a paper-based glue board
that's placed in areas where German
cockroaches, for example, are likely to
travel, so you can detect them early. " This
helps indicate the level of population
and where the animals are coming from.
Take a close look for rodent and
roach fecal matter in crevices and inside
corners and around outlets and other
potential access points. Drop ceilings are
notorious for harboring pests. The insulation
around coolers is also an attractive
nesting area because the refrigeration
mechanism keeps it warm and cozy.
Rotate Your Product
First in, first out is not just about
keeping your ingredients fresh - it also
discourages infestations. It's extremely
important to rotate your pizza boxes.
Cardboard makes a very inviting roach
motel and you can't treat pizza boxes
with pesticides, so don't keep too many
boxes on hand at a time and rotate
through them.
Seek Professional Support
Partnering with a pest professional
experienced in the restaurant industry
will help you keep on top of any
problems. Professional exterminators
know the local vermin and their seasonal
habits. They're experienced at detecting
subtle signs of bugs and rodents, and
they have extensive knowledge about
safe pesticide application, especially in
terms of what products can be applied
where, and how frequently. " In some
states, it would be a violation of law for
someone to apply pesticides without the
proper certification and credentials, "
according to Hottel.
Lentine points out that using an
enzyme-based floor cleaner will help in
the battle against drain flies. " The enzyme
will eat away the bacteria and things that
drain flies live off, and it works hand in
hand with our products whereas bleach
deteriorates our products rapidly. "
The pros also have sophisticated tools
in their arsenal. For example, Williams
explains that they can place monitors
specifically for Indianmeal moths and
other flour-eating moths " that have
female sex attractant on them. If male
moths show up, we can know about it
immediately and react very quickly with
a management plan already in place. "
Fredericks points out that a pro won't
" just react to an infestation, but will
develop a comprehensive Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) program that will
consist of preventative measures such as
identifying potential points of entry and
ways to modify the facility to discourage
entry, along with monitoring and early
detection for proactive instead of reactive
pest control. "
You want to be proud of every nook
and cranny of your restaurant, not just
your amazing pizza. Stay on top of pest
presence in your place, or else you risk
getting negative health inspections,
offending and losing customers, and
actually putting the health of your guests
and employees at risk.
ANNELISE KELLY is a Portland, Oregonbased
freelance writer.
http://www.GalbaniPro.com
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