Stored product mites (Acari: Astigmata) infesting food in various types of packaging
From 2008 to 2014, stored product mites have been reported from prepackaged dried food on the market in the Czech Republic. The infestation was by Carpoglyphus lactis (L.) in dried fruits and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) in dog feed. The infestation is presumably caused by poor protection of the packages. We compared various packaging methods for their resistance to mites using dried apricots and dog feed in laboratory experiments. The trial packages included nine different plastic films, monofilm, duplex and triplex, and one type of plastic cup (ten replicates per packaging type). All packaging materials are available on the Czech market for dried food products. The samples of dried food were professionally packed in a factory and packaged dried apricots were exposed to C. lactis and dog food to T. putrescentiae. After 3 months of exposure, the infestation and mite density of the prepackaged food was assessed. Mites were found to infest six types of packages. Of the packaging types with mites, 1–5 samples were infested and the maximum abundance was 1,900 mites g−1 of dried food. Mites entered the prepackaged food by faulty sealing. Inadequate sealing is suggested to be the major cause of the emerged infestation of dried food.
Insects and packaging — A review☆
Abstract This paper reviews the interactions of insects with food packaging, and measures which may be taken to limit damage.
Penetration of Seven Common Flexible Packaging Materials by Larvae and Adults of Eleven Species of Stored-Product Insects
The ability of larvae to penetrate flexible packaging materials was determined for large and small larvae of 11 species of stored-product insects. These insects were confined individually, with or without food, in small pouches made of cellophane, polyethylene, paper, polyvinylchloride, aluminum foil, polyester, or polypropylene.

Larvae of Oryzaephilus mercator (Fauvel), Cathartus quadricollis (Guerin-Meneville), and Cryptolestes pusillus (Schonherr) made no penetrations. Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) larvae were very weak penetrators. Only Tenebroides mauritanicus (L.) and Trogoderma variabile Ballion larvae penetrated all 7 materials. Larvae of the 5 other species, Dermestes maculatus De Geer, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), Ephestia cautella (Walker), Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), and Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), penetrated 5 of the 7 materials. Foil, polyester, and polypropylene were generally the most resistant to penetration.

Larvae of all species generally showed a much greater propensity to penetrate when confined without food. Many penetrations occurred within 24 h and most occurred within 1 wk. Some larvae that did not penetrate and subsequently transformed into adults made more penetrations as adults than as larvae.

The locations of the penetrations in the vertically positioned pouches were predominantly in the bottom 1/2 of the pouches and in a zone 0–1 cm from the folds.