How Rat Infestations Put PH Food Processing Industry at Risk

The food manufacturing sector is an important backbone of the Philippine economy as it provides national food security and livelihood opportunities for many Filipino families.

Yet, despite stringent measures, food processing plants are still in constant battle against pest infestations, with rodent infestation being the fastest-growing threat to the industry.

In this blog, we will explore the impact of rat infestations on food processing companies in the Philippines. Throughout the post, we’ll dissect how rodents behave towards your facility and provide insights to help you prevent these pests from overtaking your facility.

 

Food Processing Plants: The Industry That Puts Food on Filipino Tables

For decades, the food processing industry has provided millions of Filipino households with convenient and varied food options. From frozen foods to canned goods and instant noodles, there’s at least one food product that sits in Filipino pantries

Beyond food security, the industry employs over 120,000 workers, making up about 10.3% of the total manufacturing workforce. Thus, this industry empowers Filipinos to put food on the table for their families, figuratively and literally speaking.

Given its economic contribution, the stakes are high for the industry. The national government has health and safety regulations in place, such as the Food Safety Act 2013 (Republic Act No. 10611), which mandates every business involved in food handling to ensure all food reaching Filipino tables meets the highest standards of quality and safety.

But even with these safety measures, the industry seems to attract uninvited guests, with rodents being among the most notorious. There are several factors as to why this is the case.

 

What Makes Food Factories Vulnerable to Rat Infestation

You don’t have to be managing a cheese factory to attract rats and rodents. Rodents aren’t choosy, and any business can be at risk of rodent infestation. However, certain aspects of your facility make it more vulnerable than a typical home or commercial space.

Since food is part of your daily operations, your facility naturally lures all types of pests. Rodents seek out places that provide food, water, and warm shelter. Your facility not only satisfies all three but also provides them in abundance.

  • Spacious Layout: Facilities are built for large-scale operations. Open spaces provide rodents room to roam, hoard food, and multiply. 
  • Food Access: Consumables and raw materials in food processing plants offer a steady food source that attracts nosey rodents. 
  • Food Waste: Aside from fresh materials, discarded food waste acts as magnets for rodents looking for an easy treat.
  • Storage Facilities: Built-in storage zones keep food products until shipment, providing another food source for hungry pests.
  • Secluded Location: Most manufacturing sites are located in remote industrial areas that invite rats and mice from outside. 

As you can see, these factors make your food facility an ideal breeding ground for these sneaky pests. Once all their basic needs are met, rodents will instinctively multiply. By the time you spot them, you might already have a ticking time bomb ready to explode on your production line.  

 

4 Risks of Rat Infestations to Your Food Processing Plant

Rat infestations implicate severe problems for your food processing company. Without proper intervention, you may face issues that are too massive for your pockets. Here are 4 risks that rat infestation poses to manufacturers. 

Regulatory and Compliance Issues

Perhaps the most severe consequence on the list is the violation of food safety regulations. The food industry is bound by rigorous hygiene and safety standards, and even one major lapse is enough to jeopardize your facility’s entire operation. 

Failing to meet these standards due to negligence, can result in substantial fines, legal actions, and even mandatory shutdowns of your operations.

Food Contamination

Rats have an infamous, unsanitary reputation, and their presence alone in your facility is a serious red flag. When rats interact with your products, they contaminate them in multiple ways. 

These pests carry pathogens that can be transferred to food products via their droppings, urine, and fur. This contamination can lead to food safety violations, customer distrust, and product recalls, all are damaging to your reputation.

Disease Transmission

Rats don’t just cause food poisoning that will just leave your stomach churning. These pests deliver life-threatening illnesses. Remember the Black Plague? Rats were the culprits behind that catastrophe. 

Today, rodents spread diseases such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, and salmonellosis. Your food process workers are also at risk from bite attacks if the infestation has loomed beyond your control. 

Equipment and Infrastructure Damage

Rodents have large front teeth called incisors that grow throughout their lifespan. As these teeth develop, rodents will feel uncomfortable to the point where they would gnaw on hard surfaces for relief. 

Unfortunately, what relieves them will bring you stress because your machinery takes the hit. Rodent gnawing leads to damage that shortens the lifespan of food processing equipment. 

When you tally all the costs, you’ll find yourself paying far more in lawsuits, product recalls, and equipment replacements than you would have by investing in expert rodent control services.

3 Professional Rat Control Tips For Your Food Processing Facility

Managing rodent infestations in food processing facilities can be quite tricky due to the sensitive nature of food production. Unlike other manufacturing businesses, using chemical sprays and commercial repellents is not advisable around consumables. 

Fortunately, there are smarter ways to tackle the problem, and it comes down to understanding their behavior. This is what integrated pest management is all about. 

Here are 3 IPM-led insights to protect your processing plant against rodent infestation:

1. Make Sanitation a Priority

Rodents and all kinds of pests are attracted to food, and in a food processing business, removing the food aspect is not an option. 

However, what you can do is minimize the attractants from food spills and debris by streamlining your food handling and storage practices. Aside from securing fresh raw materials, proper disposal of food waste and by-products is equally important. 

2. Seal Entry Points with Regular Maintenance

Remember, rodents can enter through the smallest openings. Once these pests locate any weak spots in your factory, be certain that these will be exploited. 

Regularly inspecting and sealing potential entry points in less trafficked areas is important. Implement routine maintenance checks to identify and address these vulnerabilities promptly.

3. Empower Workers with Pest Training

Knowledge is power in rat control, and an educated team is your best defense against rodents.

Train your staff to recognize signs of rodent activity and respond quickly and effectively. Equip them with training programs covering pest awareness, prevention, and response strategies. Your staff can prevent minor sightings from becoming full-blown infestations. 

Partner with IPM Experts

All these insights are behavior-centric, offering a long-term solution to rat infestation as compared to chemical-based approaches. Implementing these strategies, however, can be time-consuming and complex. So why not consider partnering with IPM experts?

When you partner with the expert, you’ll receive science-led strategies that are tailored to your business. Food manufacturing-specific programs include tailored treatment plans, holistic hygiene and sanitation practices, integration of industrial-grade trap and bait systems, and more. 

Additionally, IPM experts provide pest awareness training for you and your staff, ensuring your team is equipped with insights to sustain your rodent control efforts. Such a partnership delivers value for your investment in the long run. 

 

Choose ENTECH for Unmatched Rodent Control Services

If you’re looking for a reliable rodent control provider, we invite you to partner with ENTECH. Our expert-led team not only understands pest infestations but also recognizes the value of a pest-free business. 

Serving over 10,000+ clients nationwide, we offer a smarter, more effective way to keep your property and business safe from rodents and other pests. 

Get a tailored plan today and let us secure your facilities.