PEST CONTROL IN RESTAURANT AND FAST FOOD OPERATIONS

Factors favoring pests entry.

1. Food provisions infested with pests may be brought in.

2. Cases of canned or bottled drinks may be a source of pest.

3. Contract laundry services may introduce pests on infested table linen.

4. Employees from infested homes may introduce cockroaches on personal belongings.

5. Pests may enter from adjoining buildings through cracks in common wall.

6. Exterior lightings may attract flying insects.

7. Hot and steamy kitchen conditions encourage employees to open exterior doors and windows, thus allowing pest entry.

8. Ornamental foundation plantings provides pest harborages close to doorways and make pest invasion more likely.

Factors favoring pest survival. - Pests needs food, water and shelter in warmth environment.

1. Warm buildings and hot spots near stoves, steam kettles , etc.

2. Food supplies of may kinds including garbage.

3. Water from faucets, condensation, drains, toilet etc.

4. Numerous harborages, including drop ceilings, machinery voids, and hollow table legs.

5. Food debris due to poor cleaning and floor level sanitation.

Factors favoring pest dispersal within building.

1. Conduits for water, electricity and heating or cooling systems allow concealed movement of

crawling pests.

2. Ceiling voids allow easy movement around kitchen and dining areas.

3. Constant employee traffic between kitchen areas and dining areas allows migration of pests in restaurant.

4. Food scraps dropped by patrons provide pest feeding opportunities away from kitchen areas.

5. Dim lighting in some restaurant bars and dining areas encourage the activity and spread

nocturnal insect.

6. Movement of infested raw materials from the store to the kitchen area especially trolleys.

Factors making pest management difficult.

1. It is difficult to treat 24 hours establishments without disturbing the clientele.

2. Some insecticides have penetrating odors which can taint food.

3. Odors from some insecticides may linger and disturb diners.

4. Grease deposits in kitchens can quickly render insecticide deposit ineffective.

5. High kitchen temperatures speed the degradation of insecticides.

6. some residual insecticides have a short life on stainless steel, which is a common surface in commercial kitchen.

7. Most residual insecticides are only permitted as crack and crevices applications in food areas, but such applications are virtually impossible without causing some illegal runoff or bounce back.

8. After residual insecticides application, the staffs cleans the floors and watch away the insecticides render it ineffective.

9. There may be employee and management apathy about pests, and thus a reluctance to make an effort t0 get rid of them. Lack of pest awareness among the management and employees.