Ah, summer. Long, sunny days, balmy evenings, lingering sunsets…and BUGS! Lots of ‘em! Air curtains, bait, traps and professional pest control are powerful and essential tools for protecting food service operations from annoying and often disease-carrying pests. But what if those sneaky little critters find a way to breach the perimeter and get past your first line of defense? Will they find nowhere to run and hide, or will they discover a safe haven to start and raise their family in your dry storage area?

Maybe you’re thinking, “But we keep everything stored in closed containers and packages, so we’re in good shape.” Bear in mind that just like us, pests have a survival instinct. Their goal is to find shelter, food and moisture, and pliable little fellows that they are, they will jam their way through the tiniest of cracks to get to it. Ask yourself a few questions about your dry storage area. If any of the answers is “yes”, a few simple steps will go a long way to prevent extending your hospitality to unwanted guests:

1. Are any food items stored in open, loosely or incompletely sealed bags or containers? These storage vessels are easy targets for pests—either through the opening or being chewed through—and are best swapped out for more durable and secure storage.
2. Is food being stored in anything but sealed, commercial grade food storage containers? Be wary of non-NSF listed, consumer-grade storage containers that weren’t designed for heavy use and frequent commercial washing. The same applies to reused food containers. Loose lids and covers with gaps provide points of entry for critters, leaving your food highly vulnerable to infestation. Cambro CamSquares® with Seal Covers are an ideal way to deny entry to unwanted guests.
3. Have any spills or remnants been left behind? Look for spills and clean them up promptly. A single crumb can attract a disproportionate number of pests. Shelving with washable, removable shelf plates, such as Camshelving® Elements Series, makes cleaning on an ongoing basis much more efficient and hygienic—leaving pests with no reason to stick around.

Still feeling bugged about your dry storage? Contact your Cambro representative for more ideas to keep your valuable food inventory fresh, safe and pest-free.