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Flies & Food Don't Mix!

April 16, 2025 by
Flies & Food Don't Mix!
Ejaz Hussain

A Must-Read for Pakistan's Food Industry This Summer

As the temperature rises above 30°C, flies are multiplying fast—and they’re targeting kitchens, storage areas, and dining spaces. For restaurants, bakeries, cloud kitchens, hotels, and caterers, this is crunching time to get serious about fly control.

Why? Because in the food business, a single fly = a hundred risks:

  • Food contamination
  • Customer complaints
  • Regulatory red flags
  • Business reputation at stake!

That’s why UPM Pakistan brings you the ABC of Flying Insect Managementa foolproof, food-safe strategy used by top brands across Pakistan.

🅰️ A is for Abandon Entry!

Flies are sneaky, but we’re smarter. In the food business, your first defense is making sure they never get inside.

🔐 Must-do Entry Controls:

  • Air curtains at all entry doors & kitchen service areas
  • Door closers and plastic strip curtains
  • Mesh screens on windows and ventilators
  • Positive air pressure in kitchens to push flies out
  • Regular cleaning of AC ducts, exhaust fans, and false ceilings
📍For food premises: Even delivery areas and dry store entries must be fly-proofed!
UPM's ABC for Flying Insects

🅱️ B is for Block Shelter!

Even if a few flies get in, don’t give them a place to rest, breed, or hide.

🛑 Deny Them a Home:

  • Keep dumpsters away from kitchen doors
  • Clean and disinfect drains, sumps, grease traps
  • Eliminate puddles, wet mop areas, and food spills
  • Sanitize false ceilings and ceiling light fixtures
  • Trim outdoor vegetation, especially near food prep areas
🧠 Food Fact: Flies are attracted to fermentation gases—bread dough, fruits, vinegar, garbage, you name it!


🅲 C is for Cut Off the Food Supply!

Flies love what your customers love—fresh food. Make sure they never get a bite.

🍽️ In Kitchen & Dining Areas:

  • Keep food covered at all times (even in prep)
  • Clean spills immediately (especially sugary liquids)
  • Use covered, lined bins and dispose trash regularly
  • Clean under counters, around machines, and inside equipment edges
  • Sanitize utensils, chopping boards, and workstations
👀 Remember: Flies vomit digestive enzymes on food before eating. Gross, right?


⚠️ Why This Matters for Food Businesses:
  • Flies carry over 430 species of bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, and Shigella
  • A single complaint on social media can ruin a restaurant’s reputation
  • Regulatory inspections by food authorities or YUM auditors have zero tolerance for flies

💥 In short, flies don’t just cost you customers—they cost you compliance and credibility.

🔍 Understand Their Life Cycle

At 30°C, a fly can complete its entire life cycle in just 10 days:

  1. Egg (8–24 hours)
  2. Larva (4–7 days)
  3. Pupa (up to 10 days)
  4. Adult Fly – ready to reproduce instantly!

🎯 Meaning: Delay control = exponential infestation.


✅ What Smart Food Businesses Should Do:

✔️ Screen every possible entry point

✔️ Use food-safe insect light traps (ILTs) in prep areas

✔️ Install air curtains at all access doors

✔️ Clean drains weekly

✔️ Use EFKs in storage & garbage zones

✔️ Log daily cleaning and inspection records

✔️ Partner with a certified IPM provider like UPM Pakistan


💡 UPM’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) = Your Brand’s Shield

We don’t just kill pests—we prevent, monitor, and protect your food spaces using science, sustainability, and standards. Our IPM strategy includes:

  • Monitoring fly activity
  • Safe treatments (food-grade where needed)
  • Audit-ready documentation
  • Hygiene advisory tailored for restaurant SOPs
  • Regular training for your team
🎓 We also offer Free IPM Training for your staff under the UPM School of IPM!


📞 Stop Flies Before Customers Spot Them!

Let UPM Pakistan help you maintain a fly-free, food-safe, and inspection-ready facility.

🔗 www.upmpk.com ​​📩 info@upmpk.com

📞 0321-7770001 ​ 📍 Serving across Pakistan 

UPM Pakistan – Protecting Brands, Customers & Standards. One Fly at a Time.