Bacteriophages: Combating Antimicrobial Resistance in Food-Borne Bacteria Prevalent in Agriculture

Abstract

Through recent decades, the subtherapeutic use of antibiotics within agriculture has led to the widespread development of antimicrobial resistance. This problem not only impacts the productivity and sustainability of current agriculture but also has the potential to transfer antimicrobial resistance to human pathogens via the food supply chain. An increasingly popular alternative to antibiotics is bacteriophages to control bacterial diseases. Their unique bactericidal properties make them an ideal alternative to antibiotics, as many countries begin to restrict the usage of antibiotics in agriculture. This review analyses recent evidence from within the past decade on the efficacy of phage therapy on common foodborne pathogens, namely, Escherica coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter jejuni. This paper highlights the benefits and challenges of phage therapy and reveals the potential for phages to control bacterial populations both in food processing and livestock and the possibility for phages to replace subtherapeutic usage of antibiotics in the agriculture sector.

Exploring the untapped potential of naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds: novel advancements in food preservation for enhanced safety and sustainability

“…They are also found in high quantities in our bodies. They can be utilized to inhibit and suppress bacterial communities, regulate animal diseases with phage therapy, cleanse processed meats and other unprocessed foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, and sanitize work surfaces with phage sanitation procedures (Au et al, 2021). Through a process known as phage biocontrol, bacteriophages have also been used in the food sector to increase the shelf-life of various goods.…”

A Glimpse at the Anti-Phage Defenses Landscape in the Foodborne Pathogen Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium

“…Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria. Owing to the antimicrobial crisis, they have received increasing attention as an alternative to chemical antibiotics [ 8 ]. They are used therapeutically in last-resort treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections (e.g., due to MRSA [ 9 ]) and as biocontrol agents in human food and animal feed production [ 10 ].…”

Acrylic thiazole copolymer microspheres with “cluster effect” for long‐lasting antimicrobial activity and plant growth promotion

“…For example, 65% of the causes affecting crop growth and yield are due to the development of drug-resistant pathogens. 3,4 Meanwhile, the presence of these chemicals such as antibacterial essential oil 5 and red copper oxide 6,7 ultimately leads to the contamination of agricultural soils, posing a serious threat to humans and the ecosystem, as both centralized and decentralized wastewater treatment systems do not target antimicrobial residues. 8 Fortunately, prevention of microbial infections through the development of novel, environment-friendly, low-toxic, or nontoxic antibacterial agents can solve the problem of ecological degradation in agricultural development.…”