5 Facts about Fumigation for Stored Product Insects

Stored product insects (SPIs) can be a nightmare for businesses dealing with food products, raw materials, or commodities. Pests such as beetles, weevils, moths, and mites infest stored goods and can cause significant damage to product quality and business reputation. They burrow deep into goods during the storage or transportation process, often going undetected until the infestation is well advanced and becomes nearly impossible to treat without damage to the goods.

Advanced SPI infestations are costly to businesses so measures such as fumigation offer a cost effective alternative.

Here are five (5) facts about Rentokil Initial’s fumigation for SPI’s:

1. Total Pest Eradication

Unlike surface treatments, fumigation penetrates deeply into stored goods, containers, and hard-to-reach areas, ensuring that even hidden or hard-to-detect pests are eradicated. This is especially important when dealing with commodities in bulk, like grains, flour, or pet food, where insects can burrow deep within the product or packaging. Rentokil uses phosphine, methyl bromide, or other approved fumigants to treat infested products. These gases are introduced into the sealed environment, where they permeate all areas, including cracks, crevices, and packaging materials. The fumigants act by blocking the insect’s ability to absorb oxygen, effectively killing them at all stages of their life cycle.

2. Food Safe

Rentokil's fumigation treatments involve the use of gases that are lethal to insects at every stage of their life cycle with all the benefits of being non-tainting and leaving no pesticide residue behind. Sufficient time must be allotted for the fumigant to penetrate and then ventilate.

3. Highly regulated

Fumigation is a highly regulated treatment and Rentokil complies with both local and international safety standards relating to the treatment of food and other consumer goods. The client’s site is prepared in advance to ensure all safety protocols are followed and areas to be treated are thoroughly sealed off. After the fumigation period, our technicians ensure that the area is properly ventilated and that the fumigant levels have returned to safe, acceptable limits before anyone re-enters the area.

4. Minimal downtime

The first step in Rentokil’s fumigation process is a thorough site inspection to assess the level of infestation, the type of stored product, and the facility’s layout. This enables our pest experts to devise a tailored treatment plan that minimizes disruption to business operations while achieving maximum results.

5. Ongoing Support

Once the fumigation is complete, Rentokil Initial provides post-treatment services such as regular inspections, monitoring for any signs of re-infestation, and offering advice on preventive measures such as improved storage practices, sanitation, and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

Fumigation is a powerful treatment for suspected or confirmed infestations but prevention is always the best strategy.

We encourage businesses to combine good housekeeping practices such as proper storage techniques, stock rotation, correct temperature and humidity levels in facilities as well as proper hygiene standards and ongoing pest monitoring to reduce the risk of SPI infestations.

Don't let SPI infections impact your bottom line and reputation...Get in touch!

Getting an SPI infestation under control typically requires expert help. A multi-step approach is recommended to completely eliminate an infestation and prevent recurrence. If you’re ready to get rid of SPIs for good, get in touch.

Call us on 592 226 9658 or contact us online and we’ll contact you within 24 hours to help you control SPIs in your business premises.