The need for a robust sanitary maintenance program to help prevent pests in the food industry

Integrated pest management by its very nature takes a preventive approach that anticipates infestations and is based on managing the conditions that favor the presence of pests in a facility. This basically implies the addition of a sanitary design and maintenance program, a cleaning and sanitation program, as well as an efficient pest control program. The origin of the infestation is generally linked to two possibilities: raw materials, products or others that enter infested from the origin or to the environment that provides pests that enter through access routes constituted by failures in the infrastructure. In the latter case, sanitary maintenance charges for incoming materials and an effective pest monitoring system can minimize the probability of infestation and limit the need for pesticide use. To elaborate on the recommendations, he points out that possible food sources should be stored in pest-proof containers above the ground and preferably away from walls. Any possible shelter, including old and unused equipment, should be removed. The landscaping surrounding a food establishment should be designed to minimize attracting and harboring pests. In the same way, in the HACCP system, which is based on an engineering system known as Analysis of Failures, Modes and Effects, where at each stage of the process, the errors that may occur, their probable causes and their effects are observed, and then control mechanisms are established. In this context, it is essential to consider the production and storage environments of raw materials and finished products as potentially causing contamination or adulteration of products to the extent that they can favor the presence of pests if they are not airtight and well maintained. Hazard analysis, followed by a risk assessment, to estimate the likely occurrence of health hazards and the severity of their effects should consider the need to implement robust sanitary maintenance programs aimed at minimizing the risk of contamination of production and storage environments, as well as maximizing the cleanliness of environments and equipment. Other safety standards, such as the BRC Global Standard FOOD SAFETY 9th edition, similarly establish the need for facilities to have a maintenance program that guarantees adequate environments for the production and storage of food. Chapter 4 entitled “Establishment Standards” specifies that the production establishment must be appropriately sized, located, constructed, and maintained to reduce the risk of contamination and facilitate the production of safe and legal finished products. Section 4.7 indicates that an effective maintenance program for facilities and equipment must be implemented to avoid contamination. The AIB standard in its chapter 2 “Maintenance for Food Safety” indicates that there must be a program for the design, maintenance and management of equipment, buildings and land to provide a hygienic, efficient and reliable production environment. This standard has section 2.10 which specifically states that the materials, structures and maintenance of the building and equipment must contribute to the Integrated Pest Management Program. In summary, Mipu with its preventive approach is based on the management of the conditions that favor the presence of pests. In this order of ideas, the sanitary maintenance program in the food industry is the spearhead to avoid infestations and/or control them by addressing the root cause.