Physical Hazard :: Insects

DATASHEET
Physical Hazard Series
Pests can be brought into the food processing facility through the supply chain in the
ingredients or packaging, and the facility itself may likely attract pests through food odors
and lighting. The buildings provide shelter, warmth, food, water, and safety from predators
which are ideal conditions for proliferation unless appropriate action is taken.

Pests can carry a wide range of disease-causing organisms, including bacteria, viruses,
protozoa, and helminths that can cause harm to consumers and staff of businesses
processing and handling food. They can also cause physical contamination of ingredients
and processed products from, for example, droppings, shed fur and feathers, body parts,
nesting material and damaged packaging.

Sources of Insect Contamination: Raw Materials, fields/environment and may originally be

found in products such as cereals, rice, fruits, and vegetables due to where these are
harvested from but also in other products if contamination occurs during the process in the
facility itself.

Effect on consumers: Illness, trauma, choking

Controls:

• Inspect all materials entering the facility, including raw materials and packaging
that could harbor insects.

• Design the site exterior and interior of the facility to minimize pests. Make sure
there are no holes or gaps in the fabric of the building.

• Keep doors and windows shut and fit fine mesh screen.

• Practice Integrated Pest Management to prevent, monitor, detect, and eradicate

pests effectively, e.g., use of Electronic Fly Killers (EFK) machines for flying insects

• Thorough cleaning is required to prevent build-up of product within plant and

machinery.

• Keep waste areas at least 10 meters away from food production areas; preferably
with some form of bunding on the perimeter. Also making sure waste bins have
tight-fitting lids.

• Cutting back vegetation around the building – especially any trees or shrubs that
produce fruit, seeds or berries.

• Making sure you are not providing a breeding source or feeding site for insects –
i.e., don’t leave unwashed containers or food exposed for long periods or
overnight. Make sure that food debris is not allowed to accumulate under or behind
refrigerators or cookers or under shelves. Dispose of used or empty food containers
safely and appropriately, etc.
 Physical Hazard :: Insects

Recall of product due insects to found

What When Why

Dunnes Stores Easy Cook Rice 2014 Due to the presence of rice weevils in a number of
limited packs
Cow & Gate Sunny Start My First 2015 Due to complaints regarding insects found in packs
Banana Muesli
Lifeforce Pumpkin Seeds 2016 As precaution due to possible insect infestation

Aptamil (Danone Company) infant formula 2018 Due to consumer reporting insects in pack of the
powder formula
Supervalu Fruit & Fibre cereal 2019 Due to the possible presence of insects in some packs

SUMMARY TABLE
Sources • Raw Materials
• Fields
• Access through holes/gaps in fabric of the plant/facility
Effects • Illness
• Choking
Controls • GMP
• Inspection
• Cleaning
• Pest Control in place
Published • Quality Assurance & Food Safety: 24 ways to exclude entry of flying insects
Article https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/24-ways-to-exclude-entry-of-flying-insects/

References

1. Physical Hazards | UNL Food. 2019. Physical Hazards | UNL Food. [ONLINE] Available at: https://food.unl.edu/physical-hazards. [Accessed 08 August 2019]
2. TheJournal. 2019. SuperValu recalls batch of cereal due to possible presence of insects. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.thejournal.ie/supervalu-recall-cereal-insects-4470554-Jan2019/
[Accessed 16 August 2019]
3. Food Safety News. 2019. Baby Muesli Recalled in the UK for Insect Contamination | Food Safety News. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/11/baby-muesli-
recalled-in-the-uk-for-insect-contamination/#more-119611. [Accessed 16 August 2019]
4. Food Safety News. 2019. Company, governments investigate contaminated infant formula powder | Food Safety News. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/08/company-governments-investigate-contaminated-infant-formula-powder/. [Accessed 16 August 2019]
5. Recall of Dunnes Stores Easy Cook Rice due to Insect Contamination. 2019. Recall of Dunnes Stores Easy Cook Rice due to Insect Contamination. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.fsai.ie/news_centre/food_alerts/dunnes_stores_rice.html [Accessed 16 August 2019]
6. Recall of a Batch of Lifeforce Pumpkin Seeds Due to Possible Insect Infestation. 2019. Recall of a Batch of Lifeforce Pumpkin Seeds Due to Possible Insect Infestation. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.fsai.ie/news_centre/food_alerts/recall_lifeforce_pumpkin_seeds.html. [Accessed 16 August 2019]
7. Minibeast Wildlife. 2019. Live insects for schools - Minibeast Wildlife. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.minibeastwildlife.com.au/live-invertebrates/live-insects-for-schools/. [Accessed 16
August 2019]
8. Pests in food processing | Rentokil - the experts in pest control. 2019. Pests in food processing | Rentokil - the experts in pest control. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.rentokil.com/food-
processing/pests-in-food-processing/. [Accessed 16 August 2019]
9. deBugged. 2019. 5 ways to protect food processing plants from stored product insects. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.rentokil.ie/blog/5-ways-to-protect-food-processing-plants-from-
stored-product-insects/. [Accessed 16 August 2019]

SAFEFOOD 360 team@safefood360.com

Disclaimer: This datasheet is not legal advice and should be considered educational in nature. You may implement this advice at your own
risk