In News

The presence of pests, such as insects, in food items can pose a risk to our homes. Often present in the form of larvae, these intruders can develop in our cupboards and lead to very stubborn infestations.

These risks raise the question of how insect pests can be found in certain types of food items and how we can protect ourselves against them.

Food items containing harmful insects that may cause infestation

Insects in food items pose a serious threat to agri-food companies that produce dry products such as cereals and flour, as well as consumers who can find them in their homes. The same applies to export products, which can provide an ideal gateway for species not yet found in Quebec.

Pest insects in your pantry

Food mites and ants are the most common insects found in your stored products. These types of insects are generally found in foods such as dried ginger, dried fish, candy, dried fruit, stored grain and cheese.

These pests are found in the form of cocoons on boxes of food purchased at the grocery store, which you bring home without noticing. For example, it is strongly recommended to check sugar, flour and chocolate powder packets and discard them if they are contaminated, since their reproduction can be very rapid and you will have no choice but to proceed with a complete extermination of your home.

Also, watch for signs that insects are invading your home, which may be the case if you notice that your food is damaged or if you come across live or dead insects or insect webs on the storage bins in your kitchen.

Harmful insects in export products

In Canada, many food products are imported, due in part to trade globalization. This can present a particularly dangerous health risk, which could contaminate your food, or worse, infest your entire house.

It is therefore important to choose fruit from outside the country with care: make sure that the skin of the food does not show any coloured spots or marks, especially when buying bananas. Also check all foods sold in bulk, such as dates and dried apricots where insect nests can be found.

For example, in 2013, a British family had to abandon their home urgently because of a package of bananas bought in a supermarket. White spots were present under the skin. They were a species of spiders from South America, known as banana spiders and extremely poisonous, which can cause death. These spiders had taken only a few minutes to spread throughout the house, causing the Taylor family to leave their homes, since only insect exterminators had the necessary techniques and equipment to disinfect the house.

How to protect yourself from an infestation of harmful insects in your food items

To prevent insect infestation in your food, it is recommended to transfer all commercially purchased food into airtight glass containers. Sweep or vacuum regularly to remove leftover food and clean kitchen surfaces and cabinets to completely remove any residue that may attract these small creatures. Finally, make it a habit to discard all potentially contaminated food and immediately kill any insects you find in your kitchen cupboards.

Use an exterminator to combat an insect infestation in your foodstuffs

If you are unable to control an insect infestation, you urgently need the services of an extermination professional to get rid of the scourge.

At Elite Pest Control, we have extensive experience in pest management. In addition to effective treatment, our experts can provide you with valuable advice to prevent these types of problems.

Don’t hesitate to contact our specialist insect extermination teams, right now!