As the market for FIBCs has grown and matured over the years, we at National Bulk Bag have learned that different industries use bulk bags for different purposes. However, no matter what your industry or application and/or product, controlling insects in and around your facility can often be a challenge. This is especially true for the food industry where insects and other pests can ruin product produce millions of dollars in damages.

For the food industry this is a challenge given that pests are naturally attracted to the products often being handled. Particularly when long-term FIBC storage is involved, controlling pests becomes an even greater challenge – made even worse if long-term storage outdoors is part of an individual company’s process (UV damage is also a concern with outdoor use. For more information on that topic, click here). What can a facility do to mitigate these insect issues? Let’s explore.

Our Best Practices for Insect Control

1. Store your bags filled with product in a cool, dry place
   • One of the easiest ways to naturally repel some insects and pests is storing your FIBCs and product in a cool dry place. 
2. Do not store your bags and product outdoors if you can help it
   • Exposing your FIBCs to outdoor conditions can also expose them to more insects. If you can help it, store your bags indoors at all times.
3. Use insect control inside your building and/or storage facility
   • If you’re planning on storing your bags full of product inside your facility, consider using an insect control service and/or system within your facility. This can prevent insects from getting near the product before they even have a chance to contaminate it.
4. For long-term storage
   • Always tie and seal your bags to the best of your ability
     • Most standard bag models come with some type of ties. Other bags even can seal the product inside. Always use these features if they’re available.
   • Stack your bags properly
     • By stacking your bags properly, you prevent any sort of toppling and spilling that can not only expose your product to insect contamination but attract additional pests to your products
   • Use liners that can be sealed
     • Using a bag liner with your bag that can be sealed off after filling is a great way to keep pests and other contaminates out of the bag

Using Chemical Additives

If insect control is a top priority and any insect exposure is unacceptable under any conditions, using chemical additives is a great option. One such example is a product called ProvisionGuard or PVGuard. This chemical additive is mixed into the polypropylene resin during the bag manufacturing process. It repels a variety of types of insects and other pests. However, this requirement does add cost to the manufacturing process of the bag and that often results in higher per bag prices.

For more information on PVGuard, check out this post all about the product.

Talk to Your Distributor

If you’re having issues with insects getting into your FIBCs, be sure to contact your distributor. They’ll be able to provide you with good tips and other techniques for insect mitigation. If basic mitigation techniques aren’t effective, ask about a bulk bag with PVGuard.

Thanks for Reading! 

In today’s competitive food marketplace, IFS and other GFSI recognized accreditation are increasingly important and you need the right packing to ensure compliance.

With over 20 years of food industry experience, National Bulk Bag has the expertise to help you select the right food grade certified bag for your product.

Click the button below to download our Food Grade Bulk Bag Buyer’s Guide. By downloading this guide, you will get access to our food grade comparison chart, things you should look for in a food grade supplier, and everything else you need to know about purchasing food grade bags.