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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
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Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings
Published on: August 19, 2021
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Bacteriophage Delivery Systems for Food Applications: Opportunities and Perspectives.
Maria J Costa1,2,3, Lorenzo M Pastrana3, José A Teixeira1,2
1Centre of Biological Engineering, Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Viruses
|June 28, 2023
Summary
Bacteriophages (phages) offer a natural solution to reduce food contamination and waste. Novel delivery systems are being developed to enhance phage effectiveness and ensure prolonged activity in food products, improving food safety.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Food waste and bacterial contamination pose significant global health and economic challenges.
- Foodborne diseases cause millions of illnesses and deaths annually, highlighting the need for enhanced food safety measures.
- Bacterial contamination is a primary driver of food loss, impacting supply chains worldwide.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing and emerging phage delivery systems for enhancing food safety.
- To explore the potential of bacteriophages as a natural solution against foodborne pathogens.
- To address the challenge of reduced phage infectivity in free-form applications within food systems.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of bacteriophage applications in food safety.
- Analysis of various phage delivery systems, including methodologies and biomaterials.
- Examination of phage efficacy against foodborne pathogens.
Main Results:
- Bacteriophages demonstrate effectiveness in combating bacterial contamination in food.
- Free-form phages can exhibit reduced infectivity, necessitating advanced delivery strategies.
- Novel delivery systems show promise for prolonged phage activity and controlled release in food.
Conclusions:
- Phage delivery systems are crucial for maximizing the efficacy of bacteriophages in food applications.
- Development of innovative delivery systems is key to leveraging phages for improved food safety and reduced waste.
- Further research into phage applications and delivery systems can significantly contribute to global food security.
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