If pests are found in your food establishment, they tend to damage and contaminate food. If found during an inspection, or as a result of a complaint, it can cause your place to be closed under the Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice, costs money and potentially damages your business reputation.
As a food business owner, it is your responsibility to have appropriate arrangements in place to effectively prevent pest entry. For information about Pest Control Essex, visit a site like St Georges, a provider of Pest Control Essex services.
The three main groups of pests encountered in the food business are:
Mice and rats
Cockroaches, ants, flies and beetles
Pigeons and seagulls
Regulations require that businesses must ensure their size, layout and storage areas allow for excellent food hygiene practices, which should also include provision for preventing external contamination such as that which comes from pests.
The law also requires that adequate procedures are in place to ensure the ongoing risk from pests is controlled. Establishing a regular contract with a pest control company is a good idea. Remember that the primary responsibility for dealing with pest issues rests with you, as the owner of the food business. Laying baits and poisons should be left to the professionals – commercial products that are available are often inadequate for use in the food business and can be a source of contamination to the food – but you can and should do a visual inspection of the place for signs of pests on a regular basis.