Bacteriophages—a new hope or a huge problem in the food industry

Połaska, Marzena; Sokołowska, Barbara

doi:10.3934/microbiol.2019.4.324

Cited by 109 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…For instance, in the food industry, prophylactic phage administration represents a promising sustainable solution to control pathogenic bacteria and reduce the massive use of antibiotics. In this field, phages are mainly used during food production, sanitization, and preservation [ 44 ]. For both animal and human infection treatment, the therapeutic use of phages and phage-encoded enzymes, alone or in combination with antibiotics, has aroused a growing interest in their potential use against multidrug-resistant bacteria, and different routes of administration and dosage effect have been suggested [ 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteriophage Cocktail-Mediated Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm on Endotracheal Tube Surface

et al. 2021

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Although different strategies to control biofilm formation on endotracheal tubes have been proposed, there are scarce scientific data on applying phages for both removing and preventing Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on the device surface. Here, the anti-biofilm capacity of five bacteriophages was evaluated by a high content screening assay. We observed that biofilms were significantly reduced after phage treatment, especially in multidrug-resistant strains. Considering the anti-biofilm screens, two phages were selected as cocktail components, and the cocktail’s ability to prevent colonization of the endotracheal tube surface was tested in a dynamic biofilm model. Phage-coated tubes were challenged with different P. aeruginosa strains. The biofilm growth was monitored from 24 to 168 h by colony forming unit counting, metabolic activity assessment, and biofilm morphology observation. The phage cocktail promoted differences of bacterial colonization; nonetheless, the action was strain dependent. Phage cocktail coating did not promote substantial changes in metabolic activity. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a higher concentration of biofilm cells in control, while tower-like structures could be observed on phage cocktail-coated tubes. These results demonstrate that with the development of new coating strategies, phage therapy has potential in controlling the endotracheal tube-associated biofilm.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteriophage Cocktail-Mediated Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm on Endotracheal Tube Surface

et al. 2021

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“…Bacteriophages (phages) are deemed the most abundant biological entities in the biosphere [ 14 , 20 , 21 ]. These are viruses that infect bacteria that can be found in every environment, where host bacteria live, including water, fresh foods and they are also present in the human gut [ 12 , 14 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Section: Bacteriophagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These are viruses that infect bacteria that can be found in every environment, where host bacteria live, including water, fresh foods and they are also present in the human gut [ 12 , 14 , 22 , 23 ]. It is estimated that over 10 31 various phage particles can be found on Earth [ 20 , 21 , 24 ]. They are highly specific targeting only a narrow range of permissive bacteria [ 24 ].…”

Section: Bacteriophagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of Phage-Based Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Products and Food Processing Environments

et al. 2020

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Providing safe products and compliance of legal requirements is still a great challenge for food manufacturers regarding microbiological safety, especially in the context of Listeria monocytogenes food contamination. L. monocytogenes is a human pathogen, which, due to the ability of survival and proliferation in preservation conditions such as high salinity, acidity and refrigeration temperatures, is a significant threat to the food industry. Novel methods of elimination of the bacterial pathogen in food products and food processing environments are required. Among emerging technologies, one of the very promising solutions is using bacteriophages as natural control agents. This review focus on the major aspects of phage-based inhibition of L. monocytogenes in aspects of food safety. We describe an overview of foods and technological factors influencing the efficacy of phage use in biocontrol of L. monocytogenes. The most noteworthy are food matrix properties, phage concentration and stability, the time of phage application and product storage temperature. The combined methods, phage immobilization (active packing), pathogen resistance to phages and legislation aspects of antilisterial bacteriophage use in the food industry are also discussed.

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“…Phages are considered a natural agent, in contrast to other food chemical preservatives that are associated with severe health problems, such as cancer, asthma, and others [56]. Recently, there has been an increase in the popularity of green and nonchemical technology concerning the control of food contamination [48,57]. When compared to other biocides (including antibiotics), phages present several advantages.…”

Section: Europe and Stecwhat Has Been Conducted So Farmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are highly specific toward one species; so far there are no known side effects toward mammalian cells. They are present in all environments, including food products; and are known to be active against biofilm structures and they do not alter food organoleptic properties [48,57]. In the last few years, considerable research on the use of phages to control E. coli contamination in the context of food safety has been accomplished.…”

Section: Europe and Stecwhat Has Been Conducted So Farmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteriophages to control Shiga toxin-producingE. coli– safety and regulatory challenges

Pinto

Almeida

Azeredo

2020

Critical Reviews in Biotechnology

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Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are usually found on food products due to contamination from the fecal origin, as their main environmental reservoir is considered to be the gut of ruminants. While this pathogen is far from the incidence of other well-known foodborne bacteria, the severity of STEC infections in humans has triggered global concerns as far as its incidence and control are concerned. Major control strategies for foodborne pathogens in foodrelated settings usually involve traditional sterilization/disinfection techniques. However, there is an increasing need for the development of further strategies to enhance the antimicrobial outcome, either on food-contact surfaces or directly in food matrices. Phages are considered to be a good alternative to control foodborne pathogens, with some phage-based products already cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used in the food industry. In European countries, phage-based food decontaminants have already been used. Nevertheless, its broad use in the European Union is not yet possible due to the lack of specific guidelines for the approval of these products. Furthermore, some safety concerns remain to be addressed so that the regulatory requirements can be met. In this review, we present an overview of the main virulence factors of STEC and introduce phages as promising biocontrol agents for STEC control. We further present the regulatory constraints on the approval of phages for food applications and discuss safety concerns that are still impairing their use.

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Bacteriophages—a new hope or a huge problem in the food industry

Cited by 109 publications

References 81 publications

Bacteriophage Cocktail-Mediated Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm on Endotracheal Tube Surface

Bacteriophage Cocktail-Mediated Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm on Endotracheal Tube Surface

Effectiveness of Phage-Based Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Products and Food Processing Environments

Bacteriophages to control Shiga toxin-producingE. coli– safety and regulatory challenges

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