Giridhar Pai Associates’ Incredible Time-Lapse of FLYght Duo’s Hypnotic Power Over Houseflies!
Giridhar Pai Associates’ business partner, Pestroniks Innovations Pte. Ltd. (Pestroniks) of Singapore, launched the FLYght Duo in 2021
A Comprehensive Guide to the Storgard Insect Monitoring Systems for the Indian Food Industry
Giridhar Pai Associates LLP provides the most comprehensive guide to Trece Inc.’s Storgard Insect Monitoring Systems for the Indian food industry.
Giridhar Pai Associates LLP achieves the milestone of shipping its hundred Storgard kits on 9 May 2024
The sole Indian distributor of Trece, Inc. of USA, Giridhar Pai Associates LLP,shipped its 100th Storgard Insect Monitoring Systems kit to customers in May 2024.
How To Set Up A Pheromone Monitoring Program for Ephestia cautella (Almond Moths)
As almond months are a common food industry pest, all dry food manufacturers must monitor it using IMM+4 pheromone lures in SPP Diamond Trapps.
The first blog post to reveal the identity of the ‘worms’ consumers found in Cadbury chocolates in India
Cadbury chocolates can attract a stored product pest moth larvae. Our blog post reveals pest ID and steps on how chocolate brands can manage it.
Ten Indian news articles about ‘worms’ in Cadbury chocolates
Compilation of news articles reporting worms in Cadbury chocolates, their identify and a tool to monitor it in the supply chain.
Why Storgard Dome Traps are extra-ordinary stored product beetle monitoring tools ?
Storgard Dome Traps and Pheromone Lures for Cigarette, Confused Flour and Red Flour Beetles are available in India from Giridhar Pai Associates LLP
Giridhar Pai Associates LLP re-launches the STORGARD Insect Monitoring Systems in India in January2024
Giridhar Pai – India’s pioneer of stored product insect pest monitoring in the food industry: Our Managing Partner, Giridhar Pai, is the pioneer of stored product insect pest (SIP) monitoring in India, having begun it in the Indian food industry and introducing it to the Indian pest control industry. At the start of his career in 1995 as a food safety manager at AVT McCormick Ingredients Limited (AVT McCormick), a leading spice exporter, he initiated India’s first and to-date largest pheromone trap monitoring programme for tracking SIP populations at the company’s warehouses. He quickly became an expert in using pheromone traps for monitoring cigarette beetles, flour beetles and warehouse moths. He used Indian and foreign-made pheromone traps and lures. He successfully established the monitoring programmes at AVT McCormick as an early warning system for SIP presence, reducing insect incidence, pest treatment costs and product losses. After Giridhar Pai joined Pest Control India Private Limited (PCI) in 2000, he launched the Trece Storgard insect monitoring systems of the United States of America in India. He introduced stored product insect monitoring for food processors. Over the past three decades, the Indian food and pest control industries have benefitted from the availability of various pheromone trapping systems in India for monitoring and detecting common SIP species. SIP pheromone monitoring is simple, inexpensive, and easy to detect insect presence in food products, storage and processing. By 2020, Giridhar Pai found that customers could not easily purchase SIP pheromone traps in India. Though customers were seeking the Storgard Insect Monitoring system range, there was no Indian distributor for the products. Direct import of the products by customers was impractical due to low purchase volumes, the need to bear shipping costs, and customs duties for any purchase quantity. Sensing the opportunity for reputed SIP pheromone traps in India, Giridhar Pai re-established contact with Trece, Inc. of USA and re-initiated the import of the Storgard insect monitoring system range to India starting in 2024. As a result of Giridhar Pai’s pioneering industry leadership, the Indian food processing and pest control industries can again access the world’s best Storgard insect monitoring system to detect and estimate stored-product insect pest populations in the Indian food industry supply chains. United States of America’s Trece Inc’s Storgard Insect Monitoring Systems: The leading global supplier of pheromone traps and lures, Trece, Inc of USA created the Storgard Insect Monitoring Systems for SIPs in the nineties of the twentieth century. STORGARD pheromone traps are an early-warning system for detecting potentially damaging SIPs during food processing, storage, transport and retailing of foods and other products vulnerable to SIP infestation. Using Storgard pheromone traps for SIP monitoring makes it possible to reduce losses and ensure the safety and quality of stored foods, leading to time and money savings. STORGARD has been among the global pest management industry’s leading SIP monitoring systems for over three decades, offering various traps, pheromone lures, food attractants and grain probes. As STORGARD products are species-specific and sensitive even to low SIP populations, they are useful in achieving zero insect populations in wheat and rice milling, baking, snack food, pet food and numerous other food processing and storage facilities. STORGARD insect monitoring systems provide an edge in the battle against SIP moths and beetles, which are present through the supply chain of human, animal, and pet foods. Storgard products are ideal for early SIP detection and monitoring in varied environments such as raw material storage, transportation, processing, finished goods storage, distribution, and retailing. Due to their highly evolved nature, SIPs persist in the global food supply chains. Monitoring them through highly effective products like Storgard pheromone traps is essential for food safety. Storgard product availability in India from 2024: Due to its managing partner’s familiarity with the products, GPAL has carefully evaluated the Storgard range and imported in January 2024 the products that Indian customers were familiar with during 2000-2020, after which the product range became unavailable in India. Indian food industry customers are most familiar with the Storgard Dome Trap kits, which are very useful for monitoring: ∙Cigarette Beetles (CB) (Lasioderma serricorne)∙Confused (CFB) (Tribolium confusum)∙Red Flour Beetles (Tribolium castaneum)∙Tobacco moth (TM) (Ephestia elutella) Starting January 2024, GPAL will initially supply Dome Trap Kits and pheromone lures for CB, CFB, and RFB in India, and only the pheromone lures for the TM. We are confident that the pheromone traps and lures for CB, CFB, RFB, and TM shall meet the basic SIP monitoring requirements of the Indian food processing industry. GPAL plans for Storgard stored product insect monitoring:GPAL aims to keep adding innovative pest management solutions such as SIP pheromone traps and lures, which are non-toxic pest management options. Through its pan-India distributor network, GPAL is making the Trece Storgard insect monitoring system range available across India to the food industry, pet food industry and pest control industry. The food and pest control industries will greatly benefit by monitoring SIP populations in processing, storage, and transport and have an assured source for purchasing Storgard in India through Giridhar Pai Associates LLP. As SIP adults and larvae, the active life stages, are tiny and not easily visible, Storgard pheromone traps are the ideal solution for continuous monitoring of SIP presence and populations. Giridhar Pai Associates LLP’s plans for the Storgard range include offering the pheromone traps and lures against other SIPs listed below. ∙Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium)∙Warehouse beetle (Trogoderma variabile)∙Almond Moth (Cadra cautella)∙Sawtoothed Grain Beetle (Orzyphaeilus surinamensis)∙Merchant Grain Beetle (Oryzaephilus mercator)∙Lesser Grain Borer (Rhyzopertha dominica) Summary: GPAL continues pioneering efforts by re-launching India’s Trece Storgard insect monitoring systems range in 2024. The Indian food and pest control industries greatly benefit from the availability of pheromone traps against a range of common stored-product insect pests commonly found through the supply chain. The current practice of routine fumigation and other SIP treatments without correlation to the SIP population can be improved by SIP monitoring with Storgard insect monitoring systems. SIP monitoring is a sustainable practice that will lead to reduced pesticide use and
Importance of Stored-product Insect PestMonitoring and Control
Learn about stored product insect pests (SIPs), their impact on food products leading to losses and pheromone traps for monitoring them in India. The Importance of Monitoring and Control of Stored-product Insect Pests Stored-product insect pests (SIPs) can cause significant damage to food and grain supplies, leading to economic losses and posing health risks to consumers. Stored product insect pests can infest a wide range of processed dried food products, including grains, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, spices, chocolate, flour, pasta, pet food, cheese, dried meat, non-milk dairy powder, tea, dried herbs, and snacks. Dried food products susceptible to SIP infestation: Other processed foods: The Impact of SIPs SIPs cause a variety of problems, including: Monitoring SIPs Regular monitoring of stored products is essential for early detection of their infestation. Monitoring allows for timely intervention and control measures to prevent further damage and product contamination of processed food. Pheromone Traps: An Effective SIP Monitoring Tool Pheromone traps are a highly effective tool for monitoring SIPs. SIP pheromone traps utilise pheromones, natural chemicals released by insects to attract mates or members of the same species, to lure and capture insects. Pheromone traps provide several advantages for monitoring stored product insect pests: Pheromone Trap Placement and Monitoring Pheromone traps should be placed strategically throughout storage areas, including warehouses, silos, and food processing facilities. If there is a suspicion that SIPs are present in other areas, pheromone traps can be used in the processing areas. The number and placement of pheromone traps depend on the size and layout of the storage area, the type of products stored, and the known or suspected insect pest species. Regular monitoring of pheromone traps is crucial for effective SIP management. Pheromone traps should be checked and emptied frequently to assess target SIP activity levels. Pheromone trap count data can be used to track pest populations and determine the need for control measures like cleaning, heat treatment, fumigation, and removal of infested products. Tips for Preventing SIP Infestations Conclusion Monitoring stored product insect pests using pheromone traps is essential for preventing food losses, protecting consumer health, and maintaining the reputation of food businesses. By implementing effective pheromone monitoring programs, food businesses can minimise the impact of SIPs and ensure the safety and quality of their food products. Recognising the need for SIP pheromone traps in India, Giridhar Pai Associates LLP (GPAL) has begun their distribution in 2024. GPAL is happy to announce the availability of the Storgard range of insect monitoring systems manufactured by Trece, Inc., of the United States of America. GPAL is also making the Fuji Flavors Ltd Ecomone range of pheromone traps available. The Serrico trap is the world’s first and best cigarette beetle pheromone trap. GPAL is confident that with the availability of the Storgard and Ecomone ranges of SIP pheromone traps in India, the Indian food industry has effective SIP monitoring tools.
Top ten tips to control rodents at an organic food facility
Like the owners of conventional food facilities, owners of organic food facilities also contend with rodent attraction to the food in processing and storage. However, conventional rodent control that relies only on trapping and using toxic baits (or rodenticides, which are chemical pesticides) is not feasible at organic food facilities as the organic food standards bar the use of chemical pesticides. Furthermore, the secondary poisoning from certain rodenticides and the soil and water pollution by rodenticides not consumed by rodents are among serious concerns about the use of rodenticides in rodent control. While trapping rodents once they are inside a building is a conventional approach to rodent control, the question is, why wait for rodents to enter a facility? Why not prevent rodents by ensuring the cleanliness and storage outside a building do not favour rodents through harbourage? Even when the building exteriors are inhospitable to rodents, some mice and rats may still enter a facility. Creating a rodent-proof perimeter is important to prevent such accidentally invasive mice and rats. While our ten tips in this blog post discuss various approaches to rodent control, as the marketers of the Rodexit All-In-One rodent seal, we recommend its use as a key rodent prevention measure. In this detailed blog post, we present tips to help organic food facilities control rodents at their premises using non-chemical methods, including sanitation, rodent exclusion, and habitat reduction. At Giridhar Pai Associates LLP, we strongly believe that building managers can control rodents at an organic facility without relying on toxic chemical pesticides such as rodenticides by switching sanitation, rodent exclusion and habitat reduction. Like any pest management, rodent management must also follow an integrated approach of sanitation, exclusion, and creation of a pest-unfavourable habitat. By relying on those three methods, it is possible to reduce rodents entering a facility drastically. When we reduce the number of rodents that may enter a building to few by sanitation, exclusion and habitat reduction, it is easier to effectively trap and prevent them from contaminating food or damaging property at an organic food facility. In this blog post, we have listed below ten steps to minimise rodent occurrence and control rodents without using rodenticides at an organic food facility. 1.Sanitation: Keeping your facility clean and clutter-free eliminates rodent harbourage, as rodents prefer not-managed areas to take shelter, make nests, survive, and thrive outdoors. 2.Exclusion: Prevent rodent entry by sealing up cracks, holes and openings around doors, windows, pipes, and vents. The materials used for such rodent prevention are different depending on the rodent entry type but must be effective to prevent attempts by mice and rats to evade the barrier to gain entry indoors. Metal of sufficient thickness (24 or higher gauge for wall or pipe barriers and 22 or higher gauge for kick plates or door edging) is an effective rodent barrier and can cover the holes around pipes and door edges. Metal screens can prevent rodent entry from vents. We have found the RodeXit rodent seal to be an effective rodent barrier below doors and rolling shutters. 3.Denying food and water: Eliminate food sources that could attract rodents by promptly removing food spills and storing food in rodent-proof containers. As mice and rats also feed on garbage, denying food to them also requires eliminating their access to the trash. Trash must be kept in a closed container with lids and regularly removed from a facility. As mice and rats also need water to survive, avoiding standing water and leaky pipes and faucets or dripping condensate denies them water and prevents their survival and proliferation. 4.Deny harbourage: Prevent rodents from nesting by removing wood piles, debris, and overgrown vegetation around the facility. It is necessary to prevent rodents from using materials stored outdoors for nesting. Further, rodents may use trash and debris to make nests, which can be prevented by removing all potential nesting sites and materials. Rodents can also make nests indoors, and thus, the steps to deny harbourage to rodents outdoors must also be followed indoors to prevent rodent nesting. 5.Storage: Maintain organised storage and prevent material accumulation that could shelter rodents. Rodents are nocturnal creatures and spend their days away from human sight by seeking shelter inside piles and stored materials not checked regularly by people. Periodically inspecting non-moving materials helps to detect mice and rat harbourage, their nests, and their pups. 6.Rodent inspection: Regularly inspect the facility for rodent activity signs such as droppings, gnaw marks, shredded packaging, damaged food and rub marks.Rodents leave numerous signs that help detect mice and rat presence.Regular inspections uncover the presence of mice and rats through their urine, droppings, gnawing, damaged packaging, and the rub marks caused by their body oils. 7.Rodent monitoring: Monitor rodents regularly through non-toxic glue or live catch or snap traps to track rodent infestation and areas of rodent occurrence.Monitoring rodents is very important and can be done through a range of traps, which, if used in areas frequented by rodents, will help to capture them.Rodent trap use must be planned carefully to catch and prevent them from damaging property or contaminating food. 8.Employee awareness: Educating employees on rodent identification, prevention, and reporting of rodent sightings is an important step in rodent management.An employee at an organic food facility must know the types of rodents likely to occur at their workplace and the steps taken to prevent rodents.Employees must know the rodent-proofing devices and report rodent activity or any issue that could lead to rodent entry into the facility. 9.Rodent reporting: Every facility must foster a culture of awareness about rodents and encourage prompt reporting of rodent activity signs.As the presence of one rodent only indicates the likely presence of numerous others, a facility must ensure that all employees report signs of rodents or rodent sightings. 10.Rodent population records: A facility must maintain detailed records of rodent monitoring control measures to track the progress of the rodent control measures and identify rodent population trends.Food safety auditors rely on records to determine the effectiveness of a