By the name Food processing, it attracts the Pests of various origins as they can enter due to food items, smell of the food items or the packing materials that are present to rap the Foods. The company’s revenue for a Food processing company does not rely only on imports, the major chunk of the business growth is seen in the exports corridor. As a result, the compliance part of the food item plays a key role in determining the quality of the Product. For increased exports, the company has to follow the highest standard levels of maintenance in Hygiene point of view. All the certifying companies like FSSAI, HACCP, ISO, BIS, AIB look very deep for the maintenance of high standards of Hygiene. For a food place to be hygiene it is needless to say it should be pest free and so we at ECO Hicare are here to offer Pest free solutions to all the Food processing Industries. Various companies inside the Food processing sectors require customized package and since we have the experience, we can give customized package that suits your requirement.

Commonly found pests in Food Processing Industries are Flies, Cockroaches, Rodents, Lizards, Mosquitoes and Stored Product Insects 

Flies are nuisance creating and health damaging pests which are commonly sighted in almost all Food Processing Industry oriented companies, without proper care the company will face market complaints and thereby loses its reputation and goodwill. Fly control with good pest control techniques will control only to some extent. Partnering aspect in Fly control is really crucial. Improper air flows, non maintenance of fly trappers can make the situation worst in which flies will be entering in to the production section and disturbs the production. So we are here to give appropriate solution which ensures the restriction of flies inside the company’s key Production and Quality areas. Deny food, water, shelter is the 3D phenomenon which correlates to high standard sanitation and hygiene maintenance in a Factory.  Flies can carry molecules that can cause health defects and so without neglecting them, we need to get rid of them. Fly control is needed in the breeding places, usually refers to Raw materials area, washing areas, production areas, quality areas, ETP Section, Scrap yard, Production Tank areas and canteen areas. Fly control strategies are pressurized air spray, mechanical trapping to plastic gummers, electrical trapping with Fly killers and catchers and Fly bait. Apart from judicious air spraying, sowing granules, Partnering aspect is required to totally avoid Flies to the property.

Based on the feasibility of the place, the trapping strategies have to be deployed and the customer is given complete picture of how to set up the equipment to restrict fly entry. Our Solutions includes

•   Identification of source for breeding and tackling pest with techniques
•   Checking the feasibility for placement of electrical fly killers or fly catchers and placement of fly catchers
•   Air flow equipment structuring and placement
•   Fly sticking plastic ribbons placement based on feasibility

Cockroaches are the nocturnal insects which can transmit lot of health diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and food poisoning to human and this major pest mainly breeds in Manufacturing Equipment, Drains, stores, Packing equipment and Refrigerators. Tackling this pest is done with different strategies based on the areas it is infesting. Cockroach control strategies for two different cockroach types that is German and American are different. 

German cockroach control is done by gel baiting. Moreover treatment is alone is not the solution, partnering aspect of customers with respect to taking action  on the inspection report is required to gradual eradication of German Cockroaches. Gel baiting pest control strategy is deployed to control the Cockroach population which was hiding inside the cracks and crevices. The Gel baiting involves cascading effect wherein the dead cockroach becomes the feed for the live ones and consumption of the dead cockroaches make the live cockroaches dead. Gel application is done during the Factory shut down to all the refrigerators, cold stores, stores, production and packing equipments.

American cockroach control is done by high pressure spray in man holes, drains and ETP section of the factory premises. Generally apart from the waste accumulation areas, these cockroaches don’t breed as fast as German cockroaches and are also resistant to Gel. So, Spraying becomes prime solution to have a check on this Monster. American 

Rodents are the only pest species which has the combative power of all three pest behaviors which include, damaging health, damaging health and creating nuisance to the client. They are that dangerous that not only spoils the food by consuming and cause contamination to food, but also it can destroy the network by chewing wires and thereby creating huge wealth loss. Rodents are dangerous pests as they carry viruses which can damage the health of the mankind. Since this pest has lethal trio attacking power, strategies with preventive nature needs to be deployed. Based on the type of Rodent, the solution framework is done. Rats generally refer to House Mouse and Roof Rat can be controlled by BGT Technology. BGT technology is abbreviated as Baiting, Gluing and Trapping. Bandicoots are the other type which can be controlled only by extensive Baiting technology.

In Factory, the common place of infestation of Rodents will be landscaping areas, Stores, Canteen kitchen, Electrical, UPS and Server rooms. Rodent Control Solutions Includes

•   Identification of entry points
•   Baiting the burrows in external periphery
•   Placement of Glue traps or metal traps based on feasibility and thereby creating Line of Defence(LOD)
•   Monitoring and changing the position of traps based on Rodent Movement

Lizards are reptiles that are found in huge numbers in any Food Processing company. They tend to create fear and nuisance amongst the employees and cause danger of mixing with food items.. Though this reptile is not significant in creating any health hazards, by the appearance it fears humans. Lizards generally enter the place to trap the insects for its prey and so usually Lizards are visible when lights are ON in the evening time. Lizards are pests that can be repelled out and can be avoided with Good Partnering aspects. Lizard control solutions are thereby planned by either repelling them out or spotting them and spraying to trap them.

In Factory, lizards are generally found in the external wall periphery and with entry points they enter and reside in Boiler areas, Production areas, Quality section, Refrigeration sections, stores and external periphery of the Factory. Lizard control solutions includes

•   Identification of entry points
•   Usage of repellants and spot spray chemicals
•   Plans for prevention and exclusion
•   Monitoring in the evening time and repeating the sprays.

Mosquitoes is the pest which gives no peaceful rest to the customer. Mosquitoes carry all types of deadly diseases like Malaria, Dengue, and chicken gunya. So Preventive strategies are the essential need of the hour and maintaining mosquito menace with combination of techniques will be the key practice that needs to be adopted. Mosquitoes are pests that are dangerous because of their faster reproduction, willingness to travel up to 3 Km distance and have high resistance to chemicals. So Mosquito management will be a combination of Repelling, Controlling and Residual effects techniques.

In Factories, Mosquitoes are driven by surrounding moving water bodies, accommodation of employees, green lusture and stagnant water in drains and other places around the periphery of the building. For managing mosquito menace, we have Solutions which includes

•    Anti Larvae Treatment, which is done on stagnant water bodies, where in we are controlling the mosquitoes at Larvae Level. In Factories this treatment is required in landscaping areas, drains
•   Repellent treatment, which is done to drive away the adult mosquitoes with good odor. In Factories  this treatment is required in Accommodation and Office areas
•   Power equipment controllers like mist blowers and fogging machines are used to drive the adult mosquitoes by using Eco Friendly Chemicals. In Factories it is done in building surroundings.

Stored Product Insects commonly refers to weevils, beetles which can be present in the food cereal items and there by contaminating the food. Stored product insects can be usually avoided if these three practices are followed. Proper Buying, Proper Storing and Good Housekeeping. Stored product insects can be controlled by Heating, freezing, repelling and other fumigation techniques.

Though the presence of these insects is found in food storage areas, the control of stored pests is effective when we tackle the kitchen and pantry areas of the Factory. Following are the steps we need to follow to control stored product insects.

•   Remove all materials
•   Remove the paper or plastic sheet, because beneath them pests tends to stay
•   Use vacuum cleaner in the cracks and crevices area to clear the debris
•   Cleaning to be done with synthetic detergents
•   Insecticide application based on requirement