The concept of using bacteriophages to improve the microbiological quality of minimally processed foods

Phages were discovered relatively recently – at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The idea of using bacteriophages for therapeutic purposes was promoted by d’Herelle, who conducted the first successful experiments with prokaryotic viruses. Works of contemporary scientists on phage therapy were, however, halted due to the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Today, when many bacterial strains have developed resistance to common antibiotics offered by the pharmaceutical industry and when new, so far unknown, bacterial strains have appeared, the concept of using bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections has been revived. Considering the food sector, the search for novel solutions that would ensure the appropriate microbiological quality of minimally processed foods may bring an effective method for eradicating bacte- rial pathogens that induce food-borne infections. The employment of chemical and physical methods of food preservation often lead to the deterioration of its nutritive value and of its physical and organoleptic properties. Minimally processed foods manufactured without any drastic preservation methods can be especially at risk of developing microorganisms, including the pathogenic ones. Low-temperature production processes and cold-storage facilitate the development of psychrophilic microorganisms, while another threat is posed by the high microbiological contamination of raw materials. This work presents a biological method for the eradication of bacteria most commonly found in a food-based environment. The study concept postulated the use of bacteriophages to improve the microbiological quality of food, with special attention paid to minimally processed foods.  .