How Pests Can Affect Your Food Hygiene Rating

When serving food to customers, whether you are a fast food outlet, a cafe or a sit-down restaurant, a butchers, bakery, hospital, or school it is important to ensure that your premises are in line with the guidelines set out by The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Pest control is an important part of due diligence when it comes to the production of food and the presence of pests at any establishment can be one of the biggest factors in lowering your food hygiene rating. Your food hygiene rating is a crucial part of getting customers through the door and a low score will turn many people away so it is definitely not a good idea to be nonchalant where pest control is concerned.

Cleaning

To discourage pests from entering your establishment cleanliness is of the upmost importance, you would assume this is an obvious factor, however in a busy kitchen little details can often be forgotten which can end up resulting in a pest infestation problem.

Staff can end up forgetting to wipe down surfaces after use and some areas of the premises may not receive an equal amount of cleaning in comparison to other areas. Store cupboards are usually more prone to pest infestations as they tend to be the most neglected part of an eatery and of course they are full of tasty treats for pests which is why they are usually where mice droppings are found. Finding any evidence of animal faeces can severely damage your hygiene rating so make sure that all areas are kept clean and regular checks are made for any signs of pests.

It is also advised to have surfaces that are easily cleaned such as easy-clean wall claddings and floor coverings as they are easy to wipe down and maintain to make the process as easy and effortless as possible. As well as making certain that the cleaning process is easy you also need to ensure that all staff are trained to the same high standards and act out a meticulous cleaning regime daily.

Food Disposal

Food is of course the main attraction for pests which is why food disposal is essential. Making sure everything that is supposed to go in the bin does and that all bins, indoor and out are closed is vital. Large outdoor bins usually draw in rodents when left open as the smell and easy access to food presents them with an appetising and appealing opportunity. However, these types of bins are typically located near the back entrance of eateries which means a failure to effectively and professionally pest proof your rear exit can result in unwanted guests.

Here at Contego we offer contracts to a variety of food outlets that cover a variety of pests including rats, mice and insects. A full pest control service is crucial to running a successful eatery of any kind and we are sure you would rather have happy customers eating your food than bugs, insects and rodents – after all they don’t even pay for their food.

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