Every food handling business faces the common challenge of pest management. Without proper precautions, pests can spread foodborne illnesses or other food-related contamination issues, so it's vital for businesses in this sector to have a comprehensive Pest Management Programme in place.
Our solutions ensure food safety standards are met and maintained, protecting both your customers and your business from potential risk and liability. We understand the importance of preventive action — that’s why we take best practice seriously and ensure that all food handling businesses are provided with tailored protection support. With our expert advice and solutions, you can be sure that the food you serve is free from any health concerns.
At Combat Pest Control, we are proud to introduce our guarded and trusted SEARCH methodology for an effective pest management programme. Our uniquely tailored system has been developed from our military background and has been proven to bring food handling safety to the next level. With a step-by-step guide, we assess your environment and lead you through the necessary steps needed to make sure your food handling process is secure and eliminating any factors that may cause food contamination.
Let us help you implement your food handling standards with confidence; join us now on this journey to achieve food safety success.
FOOD HYGIENE REGULATION (EC) 852/2004 - These regulations are designed to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses and promote food safety. It is the responsibility of food business operators to comply with these regulations to ensure that their food products are of the highest quality and do not pose a risk to public health. Compliance with these requirements is critical for food businesses and should be seen as a priority to ensure the highest level of food hygiene.
STRUCTURE
Systemising your food handling pest management is the most efficient way to ensure food safety and hygiene in any food-focused business.
- 1Keeping accurate records of food handling pests can help foodservice establishments prevent food contamination and foodborne illnesses.
- 2Identifying the areas where food supply is handled, stored and sold is paramount to prevent food contamination due to pest infestation.
- 3Routine food handling checks should be regularly carried out and accurately recorded.
- 4Establishing a sustainable rotation system will not only support food safety legislation but will also ensure customers receive quality food service on every visit.
- 5Risk assessment is an essential part of food safety, and it starts with evaluating the food handling environment in order to determine the level of risk present.
EDUCATE
Educate your team on these food safety measures and other related procedures can help you maintain a positive reputation in the industry and create a better business overall.
- 1Training your team on this concept helps them to better understand why food handling operations must be conducted in accordance with food safety regulations.
- 2Your team should have a good understanding of the processes behind recognizing and eliminating any possible food-borne diseases.
- 3Routine food handling checks should be regularly carried out and accurately recorded.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Understanding the roles that we all have in ensuring our property is free of pests is essential to food safety and healthy living.
- 1Creating a pest-free environment is the responsibility of everyone.
- 2Understanding the food safety regulations and adhering to best practices will help create a safe food environment for everyone.
RISK
Control risks by:
- 1One of the key ways to help mitigate food related risks is by ensuring food handlers are correctly trained and competent.
- 2Demonstrating best practice in food handling is essential to food hygiene and safety. It not only protects consumers from foodborne illnesses, but it also limits the risk of food spoilage, while enabling food businesses to carry out their operations effectively and efficiently.
- 3Keeping current with research on food-handling techniques as they relate to pesticides and food safety can be done easily by subscribing to newsletters or updates from reliable sources. By keeping an eye out for recent changes in food safety regulations, businesses and food handlers can stay compliant and up-to-date on best practices; ultimately leading to a healthier consumer base.
CONTROL
Proper employee training is important, such as teaching food handlers the required food safety practices such as proper food storage, personal hygiene, food preparation techniques and food temperature control.
- 1Pesticides are an important tool for food production and food handling, but they must be used responsibly to ensure food safety and protect human health and the environment. Before applying a pesticide, users should read the labels carefully and observe all warning related to application rates, re-treatment intervals, personal protective equipment requirements and other safety measures.
- 2Establishing effective pests control measures is a key factor in food handling operations. Such measures include creating physical barriers to prevent pests from accessing food, feed, facilities and other food handling-related areas. This may involve sealing off any potential pest pathways such as holes, cracks, or crevices in structures, closing off any access points to food sources such as food packaging or trays and covering up food waste. Focussing on creating barriers also increases the effectiveness of other pest control strategies such as trapping and baiting.
- 3Having an effective plan for dealing with pest infestations is a must for any food-handling establishment. Such a plan can provide your facility with the peace of mind needed to minimize food safety risks and prevent further spread of any pests should an outbreak occur. A great plan begins with identifying possible pest entry points and existing conditions that are conducive to pest activity. By addressing these issues, food-handling operations can be better prepared when it comes time to take the necessary steps to contain any infestation that arises and restore their facility back to a safe, pest-free environment.
HELP
- 1Seeking out help can be daunting but it doesn't have to be. Operation DIY is an excellent program that empowers individuals to take food safety into their own hands. By taking part in Operation DIY, users develop the knowledge and learn how to apply food safety protocols for food handling purposes
- 2When it comes to food handling, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that your pest management team is trained, qualified, and experienced. Working with an untrained team can lead to issues such as ineffective treatments, incorrect application of treatments, potential cross-contamination of food and environment, and food related health and safety hazards.