NVWA shuts down 65 food businesses due to rodent infestations
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) enforced 65 emergency closures of food businesses in the past year due to acute infestations of pests such as mice and rats, a significant increase from 34 closures in 2023.
The majority of these closures occurred in the Randstad region, with Amsterdam accounting for 19, Zaandam for 8, and cities like Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, and Haarlem each experiencing three closures. Notably, in Zaandam, the NVWA shut down a distribution center of the online supermarket Picnic due to a severe mouse infestation.
Mice and other pests can spread bacteria, parasites, and viruses through their droppings and urine. Businesses are permitted to reopen only after implementing thorough measures to address the infestations.
In Amsterdam, NVWA inspector Jacco conducted an unannounced visit to a bakery in Amsterdam-West. Bakers were actively preparing products, with croissants entering the oven and dough being prepped for pastries. Jacco inspected coolers, cabinets, and corners with a flashlight. Pointing to significant chocolate splatters near a tempering machine, he remarked, "This is fairly normal; it always looks like this."
The initial impression was positive. "You can immediately smell pests due to their urine, and you also instantly see droppings," Jacco noted. In his experience, he has encountered everything from mold to multiple dead mice. "The droppings and feces are sometimes everywhere—among the rolls or in containers of sesame seeds.
At this bakery, located in an area where rats are prevalent, no such issues were found. "It's a neat bakery; you can see they've invested," Jacco observed, noting the absence of any droppings in the storage areas.
The owner reflected on past challenges: "Six years ago, you wouldn't have wanted to see it here. There were thousands of mouse droppings; they had dug tunnels through the concrete." After taking over the business, a major renovation ensured all openings were sealed.
Despite these improvements, the owner expressed frustration over local waste disposal practices: "People from the neighborhood dump their garbage on the sidewalk when the nearest container is full. The rats walk down the street." His partner added concerns about municipal plans: "The municipality now wants to add greenery to the pavement in front of our door. That doesn't seem wise to us."
Jacco highlighted the importance of an integrated pest management approach, emphasizing prevention through good hygiene and sealing potential entry points. The bakery, for instance, undergoes regular inspections and advice from a commercial party.
Joey Heutinck of pest control company Rent 2 Prevent attributed the rodent surge to new regulations. While effective, he criticized some in the pest control industry for inadequate implementation. "The transition among market leaders in our industry is disastrous," he stated. "There's real ignorance, incompetence." He recounted instances in old buildings with numerous gaps: "Sometimes we see bake-off rolls going into the oven with droppings and all. I've seen that more than once."
The bakery owner also mentioned issues with pigeons: "Once they've found a crumb, they keep coming back, even into the store. So we make sure to sweep the sidewalk clean." Jacco acknowledged the problem with these "winged rats," noting their increasing intrusion into stores and their potential to carry bacteria, similar to rodents.
Despite the rise in emergency closures, such measures remain a last resort due to their significant impact on businesses. Jacco recalled a case where a restaurateur had to close and missed a lucrative event: "But we are here for the consumer and consumer safety."
The inspector noted that while certain Amsterdam neighborhoods were previously notorious for specific pests—mice in the Red Light District and rats in the Bijlmer—the problem has now spread citywide.
During inspections, Jacco also inquired about product preparations, such as the type of cream in pastries and the ingredients in sausages, to monitor processes and check for allergens. Although no major issues were found, the bakery received a warning for minor hygiene points and missing allergen labeling on certain products.
