Anyone who produces, processes, or stores food must reliably prevent pests and identify potential infestation risks at an early stage. For companies certified according to IFS Food, professional and transparently documented pest management is therefore essential.
The IFS pest control is found in IFS Food Version 8, particularly under Chapter 4.13 “Pest monitoring and control” regulated. This is not only about bait stations or regular inspections by a pest control professional. What is required is a risk-based overall system consisting of prevention, monitoring, documentation, control, and effectiveness checks.
But what specific requirements does IFS set? Which documents must be available? And what do auditors look for when assessing pest control?
This article provides a practical overview.
What does IFS require for pest control?
The IFS Food 8 pest control requirements can be reduced to seven key areas:
- Prevent pest infestation through suitable buildings and equipment
- Establish risk-based pest control measures
- Clearly define responsibilities
- Document inspections, findings, and actions
- Use traps and monitoring systems properly
- Inspect incoming goods for pest infestation
- Regularly evaluate effectiveness and infestation trends
IFS therefore takes a clear approach: Pests should be prevented from entering the facility in the first place.
Actual pest control is therefore only one part of a comprehensive pest management system.
1. Prevent pest infestation through prevention
IFS Food 8 requires that premises and equipment be planned, constructed, and maintained in such a way as to prevent pest infestation as far as possible.
Professional pest control therefore begins with the question:
Where could pests enter the facility or find suitable living conditions?
Typical weak points include:
- Damaged doors and gates
- Missing or defective door seals
- Open windows
- Unprotected ventilation openings
- Pipe and cable penetrations
- Cracks in walls or floors
- Cavities and suspended ceilings
- Open drains
- Food residues
- Standing water
- Poorly organized waste areas
- Vegetation immediately around the building
- Pallets or items stored against exterior walls
Mice in particular need only very small openings to enter buildings. Effective pest management must therefore go beyond simply setting traps.
Practical tip
Identified structural weaknesses should be documented in the inspection report and assigned a specific action, responsible person, and, if applicable, deadline.
This turns pest control into an active prevention system.
2. Risk-based pest control according to IFS
One of the most important points of IFS Food 8 is the risk-based approach.
Pest control measures must be documented, implemented, and maintained. Among other things, the following factors must be taken into account:
- The surroundings of the facility
- Possible pest species
- Target pests
- Raw materials used
- Products manufactured
- Structural conditions
- Sensitive production areas
- Storage areas
- Rented storage areas
- Inspection frequencies
- Control products used
This means:
There is no sensible standard solution that works equally well for every food business.
For example, a bakery has different pest risks from a meat processor, a frozen food warehouse, a spice producer, or a beverage manufacturer.
3. A bait and site plan is essential
For traceable IFS pest control, the company needs an up-to-date plan clearly showing the monitoring and control points in use.
Depending on the operation, these may include:
- Rodent bait stations
- Mechanical traps
- Monitoring boxes
- Insect monitoring
- Pheromone traps
- UV insect light traps
- Other suitable monitoring systems
Every relevant monitoring point should be clearly identifiable.
The number on the map must match the identification at the actual location.
What auditors may look for
In practice, it should be possible to determine:
- Where is the station located?
- What number does it have?
- What purpose does it serve?
- Which pest is being monitored?
- When was it inspected?
- What finding was identified?
- What measure was derived from this?
An outdated bait map can quickly lead to problems—for example, if stations are shown on the map that no longer exist on site.
4. Responsibilities must be clearly defined
Many food companies commission an external pest control service provider.
This is generally possible. However, responsibility for effective pest management cannot be fully outsourced.
The company must appoint a competent person responsible who monitors pest control activities.
When working with an external service provider, the key requirements should be documented accordingly.
Examples include:
- responsibilities
- Scope of services
- Inspection intervals
- Methods used
- Documentation
- Communication channels
- Procedure in the event of an infestation
- Escalation measures
The food business therefore remains responsible for implementing the necessary measures even when external pest control services are used.
5. Every inspection must be documented
In an IFS audit, it is not only important that an inspection was carried out, but also that this can be demonstrated in a traceable manner.
Professional documentation includes, for example:
- date of inspection
- monitoring points checked
- findings
- Pest species
- catch numbers or activity
- identified weaknesses
- measures initiated
- responsibilities
- deadlines, where applicable
- Follow-up of measures
Particularly important:
Detected deviations must not simply remain in the report.
It should be clear what happened to a finding.
Example:
A damaged door seal is identified during an inspection.
The following should then be documented in a traceable manner:
Finding → Action → Responsible person → Implementation → Effectiveness check
This precisely documented follow-up of measures strengthens audit readiness.
6. Traps and bait must be positioned correctly
IFS requires traps, bait stations, and insect light traps to:
- be functional,
- be available in sufficient numbers,
- be suitable for the intended purpose,
- be positioned appropriately,
- cause contamination of food.
This last point in particular is crucial for food businesses.
A monitoring device must not itself become a risk to product safety.
Example: UV insect light traps
For UV insect light traps, the positioning should be chosen so that captured insects or parts cannot fall onto
- open food,
- production equipment,
- packaging materials or
- product-contact surfaces
can reach.
The number and position of the devices should also be based on the actual risk.
7. Check incoming goods for pests
One frequently underestimated point is Goods receiving.
Pests do not enter a facility exclusively from outside through doors or openings. They can also be introduced via raw materials, packaging materials, pallets, or means of transport.
IFS Food therefore requires incoming deliveries to be checked for possible pest activity.
Possible indications include, for example:
- feeding damage
- droppings
- webbing
- larvae
- beetles
- moths
- damaged packaging
- live or dead insects
Detected irregularities must be documented.
Important in practice
Goods receiving employees should know:
- what they need to look out for,
- which findings are critical,
- how a finding is documented,
- who they need to inform,
- how affected goods are treated.
This makes incoming goods an important part of preventive pest management.
8. Trend analysis: Individual catches are not enough
An especially important component of IFS-compliant pest control is the Trend analysis.
The monitoring data are not considered individually, but evaluated over a longer period.
A single catch does not necessarily indicate an acute infestation.
By contrast, rising catch numbers over several inspections can be a clear warning signal.
A good trend analysis helps identify such developments at an early stage.
What should an IFS trend analysis show?
For example, it makes sense to analyze the data by:
- Pest species
- Monitoring point
- Building area
- Month
- Quarter
- Season
- Catch numbers
- recurring findings
Questions of particular relevance include:
- Is activity increasing?
- Are there recurring hotspots?
- Does the same pest always occur in the same area of the building?
- Are seasonal patterns identifiable?
- Did the measures taken work?
A simple table showing catch numbers is therefore not yet a true trend analysis. The decisive factor is Evaluation of the data and derivation of appropriate measures.
What belongs in IFS-compliant pest control documentation?
For audit preparation, relevant documents should be available quickly and in full.
Useful documentation may include, among other things:
- Pest control risk assessment
- Site or bait plan
- Register of monitoring points
- Inspection reports
- Infestation documentation
- Trend analyses
- Action lists
- Evidence of completed corrective actions
- Information on the products used
- Safety and application information
- Proof of qualifications
- Contract with the pest control service provider
- Definition of internal responsibilities
- Documentation of incoming goods inspections
The documents required in each individual case depend on the business and its risk assessment.
Typical mistakes in IFS audits
In practice, problems often arise not because no pest control is carried out at all.
Much more often, the existing system not implemented consistently or documented sufficiently.
Typical weak points include:
The bait plan and reality do not match
- A station is shown on the plan but is missing on-site—or vice versa.
Measures are not completed
- For example, the pest control operator documents a defective door seal, but no one can prove that it was repaired.
Trend analyses are missing
- There are many inspection reports, but no one systematically evaluates the development of pest activity.
Responsibilities are unclear
- Internally, no one feels responsible for addressing the pest control provider's recommendations.
Inspections follow a set pattern instead of being risk-based
- The stations are checked routinely, but changes in the business or new pest risks are not incorporated into the concept.
Incoming goods inspections are not documented sufficiently
- Employees do inspect deliveries, but there is no traceable documentation.
IFS audit: You should be able to answer these questions
A simple self-check is worthwhile before an IFS audit.
Can you answer the following questions clearly?
- Which pests pose a realistic risk to our site?
- How was this risk assessed?
- Why are traps and monitoring points located precisely in these positions?
- How were the inspection intervals determined?
- Who is responsible internally?
- How are findings documented?
- What happens when a pest is found?
- How are measures followed up?
- Are incoming goods inspected for pest infestations?
- How is the effectiveness of the measures verified?
- What developments does the current trend analysis show?
Anyone who can answer these questions based on up-to-date documents is already much better prepared for pest control during the IFS audit.
Why professional pest control is important for IFS-certified businesses
Pest management in food businesses is about much more than traditional pest control.
A professional concept combines:
Prevention + monitoring + risk assessment + documentation + trend analysis + targeted measures
The service provider should not merely check individual traps, but should support the business in identifying risks at an early stage and managing them in a transparent manner.
Clear documentation and professional evaluation of monitoring data are particularly crucial with regard to IFS audits.
Conclusion: IFS pest control is more than checking traps
The requirements for IFS pest control go far beyond regularly checking individual traps.
A transparent, risk-based overall system is crucial.
These include:
Prevention, monitoring, documentation, responsibilities, incoming goods inspections, action management, and trend analysis.
Companies that consistently combine these areas not only meet important requirements of the IFS Food Standard. At the same time, they reduce the risk of pest infestations, product contamination, and unpleasant surprises during the next audit.
