You may feel upset to find your cereal box has insects inside it and pick up the phone calling the manufacturer complaining this situation. Well, actually you need to understand that insect is able to sneak into the package anytime, like during transportation or in storage warehouse and destroy the foods inside of the package.

According to Agricultural Research Service entomologist, Michael Mullen, pests and insects can bore into the product. With his experience in helping food and manufacturers designing insect-proof packages, he would know what kind of material to use to keep the products from insects and he still undergoes the further study regarding the best material to use for food container. Manufacturers are not allowed to use chemical pesticides on and near food products because it endangers the food as well as consumers’ health.

Mullen stated that there two kinds of stored product insects that may sneak into the package which are invaders and penetrators. These two insects have different way in getting into the food products and you can be so desperate knowing what they capable of. Physically, invaders include pests look like flour beetle and the saw-toothed grain beetle. They sneak into food package or container through cracks, holes, and crevices.

On the other side, penetrators are crueler because they chew holes in the packages and that’s very nasty. Penetrators are the lesser grain borer, warehouse beetle, rice moth, and cigarette beetle that are able to bore through one or more layers of packaging like plastic or cardboard. Thus, the study to create a really safe container will be serious issue to discuss because the insects will possibly do more than they capable of right now.

There is reason why plastic liner in your cereal boxes is so solid, tight, and strong. This way will keep the food odor to escape from the package. Food odor can invite insects to come so that the plastic liner is specially designed to prevent the odor to escape. Most of the inner liners must be really strong and airtight seal. Moreover, another alternative to make the insect stay away from your food package is by changing the type or pattern of glue on box seals. You can also use an extra reinforcement on the bottom of the boxes and bags.

In further experiment, Mullen will do the lab tests to create insect-resistant, pesticide-free packages for dry pet foods, baby cereals, raisins, breakfast cereals, and pancake mixes.