Prevent Flying Insects from Entering Food Plants This Summer

In meeting Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and third-party auditing standards, preventing and controlling flying insects in the food supply chain is of utmost importance. Flying insects are problematic because they are disease vectors, spreading bacteria as they fly from food to food, causing a high food safety risk, explained the pest management company, McCloud Services. Food facilities need to make sure they are familiar with the most common flying insects, including filth flies, small flies, stored product pests and cluster flies, and know the preventive actions to take including eliminating breeding sites and taking the proper sanitation precautions.

"Flying insects are much more common in the summer months as windows remain open and doors are left open. With so many flying insects there is not a 'one size fits all' approach to control these pests, but proper identification will allow facility managers to put the correct action plan together to prevent further problems. When dealing with flying insects, sanitation remains key, as well as proper employee education on exclusion efforts," said McCloud Training Manager Anna Berry.

Berry added that this identification, along with a strong partnership between a Pest Management Professional (PMP) and his or her client, can allow for quick removal of the harborage and pest.

McCloud Services identifies the harmful flying insects most commonly found in food facilities and discusses prevention techniques in its article "Flying Insects, Let's See Some Identification."

For more information, on McCloud Services’ food safety pest management programs, call 800-332-7805 or email contact@mccloudservices.com.