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

Abstract

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.

Phages in Food Industry Biocontrol and Bioremediation

“…Another phage used to control L. monocytogenes in food products and food processing environments is P70, a phage known to have a broad host range infecting Listeria sp. serovars 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, 4a, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5, 6a and 6b with results over 62% of lysis [18].…”

Phages for Africa: The Potential Benefit and Challenges of Phage Therapy for the Livestock Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…The efficacy of bacteriophages as antimicrobials has fostered the approval and commercialization of several products intended for the reduction of different pathogenic bacterial species [ 83 ]. Examples of some phage-related products include SalmoFree and SalmoFresh™, both containing Salmonella enterica phages [ 82 , 84 ], ListShield™ designed with Listeria monocytogenes phages [ 85 ], as well as phage-derived enzymes such as Lysins, integrases, and excisionases, have received considerable attention as potential antibacterial agents [ 86 ].…”

Phages and Enzybiotics in Food Biopreservation

“…In other words, phages and bacteria must be in contact with liquid but also with solid foods; moreover, as much bacterial contamination occurs initially at low numbers (a minimum bacterial density is a prerequisite) sometimes we must apply a large number of phages to those foods. Knowing the optimal number of viral particles (multiplicity of infection, MOI) to use for each food, as well as their infection kinetics in each food matrix, it is essential to understand how these phages are acting on their target pathogens [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Minimum host threshold requirement has been demonstrated for phages of different food pathogens [ 33 , 34 ].…”

“…Another advantage of phage cocktails is that they can be modified quickly and conveniently to deal with specific strains that may appear in a particular food manufacturing facility [ 41 ]. No articles were reviewed here where more than three bacteriophages or cocktails containing undefined strains were used because in the last few years there have been excellent reviews on that scope [ 26 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. Moreover, Theuretzbacher’s recent article in the currently available weaponry against superbugs indicates that more than 20 different bacteriophage-based products have been approved for the control of pathogenic bacteria related to the food industries or direct food contamination [ 44 ].…”

“…Several cofactors tested with phages used in the control of L. monocytogenes in the food industry have been recently reviewed by Kawacka and coworkers [ 26 , 149 ]. Among those factors, we can find other bacterial cultures such as Lactobacillus spp., Gluconocbacter assii , the bacteriocins Nisin, Enterocin and Pediocin, and several compounds such as lauric arginate, potassium lactate, sodium diacetate, sucrose monolaurate.…”