Pest control for food businesses

What the law says

EU food hygiene law (Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II) requires every food business to have adequate procedures to control pests, and premises that protect against them. Inspectors look for signs of pests, how the building is proofed, and evidence that someone is checking.

Signs to look for

• Rodents: droppings, gnaw marks on packaging or woodwork, greasy smear marks along walls, nests, a stale smell.
• Cockroaches: live or dead insects (often at night), egg cases, droppings like ground pepper.
• Flies: flies in food areas, maggots near bins or drains, fruit flies or drain flies around sinks.
• Stored product insects: small beetles or moths in flour, cereals, rice and dried fruit; webbing in packets.

Keeping them out

• Proofing: doors close fully with brush strips, no gaps around pipes and cables, drain covers in place, fly screens on opening windows.
• Cleaning: no food debris under or behind equipment; clean to a schedule.
• Storage: dry goods in sealed containers, off the floor; check deliveries for damage or signs of pests before accepting them.
• Waste: bins lidded and emptied often, outside bins away from doors and cleaned regularly.

Weekly checks

Walk every food area at least once a week: dry stores, under and behind equipment, around bins, doors and drains. Write down what you checked and what you found, even when it was nothing. A record of “no signs” week after week shows an inspector that you are in control. Our free pest control check log has a line for each check.

Working with a contractor

A pest control contractor will usually visit on a schedule, set and check bait points and traps, and leave a report. Keep every report with your records, act on their recommendations, and call them between visits as soon as you see signs. Put their number somewhere every member of staff can find it.

If you find pests

1. Protect or throw out any food that may have been contaminated.
2. Clean and disinfect the affected area and equipment.
3. Call your contractor.
4. Find and fix how they got in.
5. Write down what you found, what you threw out and what was done.
6. If the problem is serious, stop preparing food until it is dealt with. Ask your environmental health officer if unsure.

See closure orders explained for why this matters. In Hygivo, staff can log a sign of pests from the home screen so a manager sees it straight away, and a weekly pest check can be a scheduled task.

See the FSAI’s enforcement powers and the FSAI Safe Catering pack. This is general information, not advice for your business. Your food safety management system (HACCP plan) and FSAI guidance are the reference. Hygivo is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FSAI.