Baking&Snack - April 2011 - 98

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Occasional Invaders
“One of the things we have seen recently is an emphasis on occasional invaders,” said Greg Baumann, director of technical services, Orkin, LLC, Atlanta, GA. “These are not pests that would eat the products or infest the bags.” For example, he said that the company has seen an increase in psocids, or booklice, in moist areas of food processing plants. Psocids don’t attack flour, but they feed on molds. “They create quite a problem,” Mr. Baumann noted. Springtails, tiny wingless insects, are another occasional invader. “We have seen an increase in springtails in moist areas, especially the washdown areas of bakeries,” he said. Rodent control, of course, is one of the most important components of any pest control program. “There are not a lot of plants where rodents are just running about, but just about every food plant has strong rodent control,” Mr. Baumann said.

extremely expensive undertaking. “But while the cost of a recall is bad,” Mr. Baumann said, “what is really terrible is a loss of reputation. People buy baked goods and snacks based on the good name of the bakery or the snack manufacturer. People buy because of the brand name, and it is the loss of reputation that could easily happen [if a pest infestation leads to a recall]. Usually pest control isn’t the No. 1 priority, but when there is a pest problem or there is a problem with a product because of pests, it becomes a No. 1 priority.” PESTY PRESSURES. In recent years, the pest control industry, as well as the baking and snack industry, have shifted away from control to prevention. Mr. Baumann explained, “It used to be that if there was a pest problem, you would call the pest control company; now, companies want to eliminate or greatly reduce the chances of a pest infestation, ▼ Pressure-washing the building exterior and sidewalks removes any bird droppings that may carry harmful bacteria.
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rather than wait until it’s a problem. And that is really smart. That is integrated pest management, and with today’s tools, you assess, you implement a prevention or correction, and then you monitor the effectiveness of your controls.” Integrated pest management (IPM) is generally used by food manufacturers to maintain pest-free operations. “One of the real cornerstones of IPM is to assess the situation,” Mr. Baumann said. “And so you do a very thorough inspection. You look for signs of pest infestation, but you also look at what we call pest pressures from the outside.” Because pests generally come into plants from the outside, facilities see more issues in the warmer months. “When the insects are moving outside, they are going to create more pressure on the plant itself,” he added. “Even worse, when they are active outside, the climate inside a plant seems to be more hospitable. In summertime, older bakeries, especially, can have higher humidity indoors, and insects seem to thrive in these conditions.” Working with a professional pest control company can provide an extra sets of eyes to look for hidden insects and bugs in areas that otherwise may be overlooked. “People [who work in a facility] may walk by a hole in a wall for several days and not even notice it because they are so busy with their normal routine,” Mr. Baumann said. Third-party inspectors performing food safety audits can assist with looking for areas where pests could enter a facility, but he pointed out that if the inspection is specifically designed for pests, then a pest control company is the best choice. “They will look at the physical condition of the building and make recommendations,” Mr. Baumann said. “They will look for spilled food products and for trash removal and how sealed trash systems are. “Basically, what we do is look at every phase of the building and operation, with a pest viewpoint. Anytime we can reduce the chances, we are going to make suggestions,” he continued. While inspectors look for signs of infestation, they also watch for pest pressures from around the facility and beyond. “The outside could be the loading dock or where materials are brought in,” Mr. Baumann said. “That is where there is a real increased chance of bringing something in, not necessarily from outside the plant but from the vehicle bringing in packaging materials or ingredients. You want to do a thorough inspection there, and you want to look for any signs of where pests could hide.” Pests need three things: food, water and a place to live, a harborage. “If you can eliminate any or all of those, it greatly reduces the chances of infestation,” Mr. Baumann said. Federal regulations about methods required of the plant operator for maintaining control of the grounds directly address the issue of eliminating pest harborages. They state that processors must properly store equipment, remove litter and waste, and cut weeds or grasses within the immediate vicinity of the plant that may constitute an attractant, breeding place or harborage for pests. Regulations also

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Baking&Snack - April 2011

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