| All food establishments and facilities (restaurants, | | | | government inspector ordered food facilities to |
| delis, cafeterias, bars, grocery stores, meat and | | | | eliminate a vermin problem countless times. |
| seafood markets, wholesale and retail | | | | If a food establishment or facility cannot fully |
| warehouses, mobile carts and trucks etc.) must | | | | eliminate the vermin, the inspector is duty-bound |
| be maintained and operated so as to prevent the | | | | to either suspend their permit and order them |
| entrance and harbor of vermin. Vermin includes | | | | closed and or take legal action and have the local |
| mice, rats, flies, cockroaches and other | | | | district or city attorney file a criminal |
| food-infesting insects. This is state and local health | | | | misdemeanor complaint against the business and |
| and safety law throughout the U.S. and in most | | | | its owner(s). A permit may be suspended |
| countries, believe it or not. It's the lack of | | | | immediately, depending on the severity of the |
| government enforcement and or business | | | | infestation. Some jurisdictions may also issue |
| practices that is the problem. | | | | immediate fines or penalties in the form of a |
| Contrary to what you may have heard, there is | | | | ticket or citation. |
| no acceptable or allowable number or amount of | | | | In many older buildings vermin can be more |
| vermin in a food facility. Vermin are strictly illegal | | | | difficult, but again, certainly not impossible to |
| in all areas of the establishment, which includes the | | | | eliminate. The main reason for this is that there |
| kitchen, food or equipment storage rooms, | | | | are many more hiding spaces in older buildings |
| restrooms, employee locker and break rooms, | | | | that are not easily accessible for cleaning, |
| customer service and seating areas, trash storage | | | | extermination, etc. There may also be other |
| areas and exterior premises. They're illegal not | | | | non-food businesses adjacent to, or in the same |
| because they are unsightly, but mainly because | | | | building that are doing little or nothing to help |
| they are known carriers of numerous dangerous, | | | | eliminate the vermin within their space. Insects, |
| disease causing microorganisms that can be | | | | such as cockroaches, can find other things to eat |
| transmitted to your food, the food contact | | | | when food or wastes are not available. |
| surfaces etc. potentially causing a serious food | | | | So what are the possible solutions to these |
| poisoning. They also contaminate the food with | | | | problems? Here are a few answers:o A good |
| their hair, fecal droppings, urine, saliva, body parts | | | | inspector and or a pest control operator will assist |
| and general filth. Need I say more? | | | | the business in finding those hiding areas that are |
| Vermin in a food facility is a very serious problem | | | | not so easily accessible and have the business |
| and a public health danger, and should be | | | | either do what is necessary to make those |
| immediately reported to your local Environmental | | | | spaces accessible or have them completely sealed |
| Health Food Inspection Program. A heavy | | | | off.o A good inspector will investigate adjacent |
| infestation of cockroaches or rodents will | | | | food and non-food businesses and issue orders to |
| sometimes give the establishment a recognizable | | | | eliminate the vermin from their space as well, and |
| musty odor. If you detect this odor or any out of | | | | have the two or more businesses coordinate pest |
| the ordinary odor, be wary about patronizing this | | | | extermination on the same day (vermin are illegal |
| establishment. A restaurant and any food facility | | | | in non-food businesses as well).o The inspector |
| should always smell clean and of fresh food. | | | | should point out all the possible ways the vermin |
| Anything else could mean something is wrong. | | | | can gain entry into the establishment and issue |
| I cannot count the number of individuals, including | | | | corrective orders to vermin-proof those areas. |
| restaurant and market managers and employees, | | | | When it comes to vermin proofing, newer food |
| I've come across over the years that believe | | | | facilities have a better likelihood of preventing |
| cockroaches, rats, mice etc. are in every | | | | harbor. Newer facilities must go through a detailed |
| restaurant and food facility, and are as much a | | | | plan-check process prior to opening, where all |
| part of the establishment as the customers. | | | | areas must be designed to prevent and |
| These people also believe that you can never | | | | discourage vermin harbor. All ceiling, wall and floor |
| completely eliminate vermin once they've | | | | surfaces in certain areas of the facility must meet |
| established themselves. Both of these statements | | | | strict standards. |
| are of course, false. | | | | To learn if your favorite eating and shopping locals |
| All types of food facilities, even the newest, | | | | have cockroaches, rats, mice, flies or other |
| nicest, most expensive, elegant restaurant can | | | | vermin problems, or any serious health and safety |
| become infested with vermin. It is fairly common | | | | violations, look them up on your local |
| because a restaurant especially, is an ideal | | | | Environmental Health Food Inspection Program's |
| environment for cockroaches, rats, mice, flies etc. | | | | web site, or contact them directly by email of |
| to thrive. But with good sanitation practices and | | | | phone to ask how they publish inspection results. |
| thorough rodent and insect proofing, | | | | You can even request a copy of the facilities |
| extermination and insecticide treatment, one can | | | | latest inspection report. All this information is public |
| readily eliminate and prevent infestations. I've not | | | | record. |
| only seen it happen first hand, but as a | | | | |