In the UK, we have two common types of SPI: The range of stored product insects worldwide is pretty vast. If not complied with, these can lead to fines or even a stint in jail and a criminal record.Īnd let’s not forget: poor reviews of businesses or products are easily viewed and shared online, making reputation management a key consideration.
#Biscuit beetle plus#
They can cause the recall of products and the expense involved in issuing a recall, plus discarding infested or damaged products, is very high.Įnvironmental Health Officers can also issue enforcement notices to business owners who don’t have adequate pest management procedures in place. That includes supermarkets, restaurants, food processing facilities and food storage warehouses. It’s believed they are the world’s ‘ most expensive pest’, costing billions each year in additional operating costs and loss of product.īusinesses that handle any kind of cereal, grain or dried food products are at risk of infestation from stored product insects. The financial loss associated with SPIs is enormous.
Psychological distress is also a factor that needs to be considered, as some people will find it hugely upsetting to find insects in their foodstuffs.ĭid you know: a fear of insects is known as ‘entomophobia’. That’s an extra crunch in your cereal you don’t want! The biggest concern is contamination of food by the insect, its cast skins or pupal casing. Unlike with most other pests, there is no significant health risk to humans from SPIs. SPIs not only eat these products, they breed in them and can spread quickly, contaminating a huge amount of product which is then unfit for human consumption.Ĭontamination of foodstuffs is such a huge concern that there is an entire branch of forensic entomology dedicated to studying it. The main reason we control SPIs is the incredible damage and contamination they cause to foodstuffs, raw materials and finished products.
Finding a pest controller to get rid of SPIs.The difference between SPIs and other insects.There are many types of SPI in the UK, with the two most common being beetles and moths.Īnother type of SPI we come across in the UK are weevils, which are a type of beetle that we'll also be covering in this A to Z. Stored product insects are exactly what they sound like: insects that live and breed in stored products, like whole grains or processed foods, and even tobacco.
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