Keep Your Food Lab Pest-Free

The interior of the lab and plant poses its own threats. Moisture can accumulate under lifted tiles, offering a water supply. Gaps in walls around pipes and switch plates allow entry. It is imperative to repair these problems. But the largest threat comes from poor sanitation measures.

“Sanitation is the issue, not pest control,” said Dr. Heinsohn. Sanitation means more than eliminating waste. Labs must be easy to clean, and all parts of the room need to be accessible. This means nothing should be stored against the wall or under tables, hindering thorough cleaning.

One recommendation Dr. Heinsohn makes to clients is a quarterly locker room cleanout. Often staff members will leave a lab or company without emptying their lockers. In addition to uneaten food and water, lockers may contain pests from home, including bedbugs. Regular cleanouts can prevent potential problems from becoming full-blown infestations.

The National Pest Management Association, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting public health, food, and property, stresses the importance of verifying the effectiveness of pest control on an ongoing basis. Professional pest control management companies will provide your lab with tools to document results, including pest sighting logs to record any evidence of intruders. Many companies now supply handheld devices, similar to PDAs, to collect data from live traps, UV electric fly traps, and glueboards. These devices allow your lab to obtain trend analysis reports showing seasonal fluctuations and, hopefully, a reduction in pests over time.

There is a direct connection between the economy and pest control problems. Harder economic times can be boom times for pests, because often the first position to be eliminated is the custodian. Before you know it, sanitation diligence declines—and those little flies are circling the recycling bins.

Maybelle Cowan-Lincoln is a science/technical writer based in New Jersey. She is a frequent Wiley-Blackwell contributor who has been featured in numerous publications.