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Updated: Jul 19, 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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Recent knowledge in phages, phage-encoded endolysin, and phage encapsulation against foodborne pathogens
Jie Yang1,2, Xiaolong Zhu1, Xingfeng Xu1
1College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
|August 17, 2023
Summary
Bacteriophages are promising alternatives to antibiotics for controlling foodborne pathogens. This review covers their applications in food, including packaging and detection, and discusses future challenges and solutions.
Area of Science:
- Food microbiology
- Bacteriophage research
- Antimicrobial strategies
Background:
- Antibiotic use is limited by resistance, overuse, and residue concerns.
- Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and are emerging as biocontrol agents.
- The food industry seeks effective alternatives for pathogen control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an updated overview of bacteriophage applications in the food industry.
- To review recent advancements in phage therapy, endolysins, encapsulation, and detection.
- To identify challenges and propose solutions for phage implementation in food.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recently published studies on phages and foodborne pathogens.
- Analysis of phage-encoded endolysins for competitive inhibition.
- Examination of phage encapsulation in food packaging and for pathogen detection.
Main Results:
- Phages show efficacy against ten common foodborne pathogens.
- Phage-encoded endolysins offer a competitive strategy for bacterial control.
- Phage encapsulation in food packaging and their use in pathogen detection are promising outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Bacteriophages present a viable alternative to antibiotics in the food sector.
- Further research is needed to overcome barriers in phage application and ensure widespread adoption.
- Phage technology holds significant potential for enhancing food safety.
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