Poison Baiting
The use of any poison within food premises carries the risk of contaminating food. Rodenticides (poisons used to kill rodents) should only be used on the advice of reputable pest control firms. Rodenticides present a potential hazard and may inadvertently contaminate food or food surfaces if they are used in buildings.
Anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin are commonly used as the active ingredients in rodenticides. After several doses, the coagulation of blood is prevented resulting in spontaneous haemorrhaging. Unfortunately, some rodents have developed a resistance to this substance. Newer versions are now on the market such as Storm (ICI) which contains Flocoumarin and can kill rodents in a single feed.
Location maps showing the position of baiting points should be kept and each bating point should be numbered. Pesticides should only be used by suitably trained personnel!
The following items should never be used as a bait or as a bait container:
- Food containers.
- Grain baits.
- Cardboard baiting traps in wet areas.
- Sticky boards for rodents.
Tamper-resistant bait boxes and a bait-free rodent detection system (based on burglar alarm technology) are also available on the market.