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Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are common etiological agents of food borne illnesses and outbreaks, most often caused by consuming contaminated beef products, followed by raw vegetables and dairy products. Patients infected with E. coli O157 are more likely hospitalized than patients infected with non-O157 STEC, making E. coli O157 an important target for microbiological interventions. We show that a cocktail of bacteriophages EP75 and EP335 effectively reduces E. coli O157 on beef, romaine lettuce, spinach, and zucchini. Treatment of contaminated beef with either 2 × 10 7 or 1 × 10 8  PFU/cm 2 of bacteriophage cocktail EP75/EP335 resulted in reductions of 0.8-1.1 log10 CFU/cm 2 and 0.9-1.3 log10 CFU/cm 2 , respectively (P < 0.0001). Similarly, bacteriophage treatments of contaminated romaine lettuce, zucchini, or spinach showed significant (P < 0.05) E. coli O157 reductions of 0.7-1.9 log10 CFU/cm 2 (2 × 10 7  PFU/cm 2 ), and 1.4-2.4 log10 CFU/cm 2 (1 × 10 8  PFU/cm 2 ). An E. coli O157 reduction of 0.9 log10 and 2.0 log10 was observed already 30 min after phage application of 1 × 10 8  PFU/cm 2 on beef and romaine lettuce, respectively. These data show that bacteriophages EP75 and EP335 can be effectively used as a processing aid on beef and vegetables, and thereby can aid industry to reduce the risk of E. coli O157 food poisoning., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bacteriophages are bacterial viruses and have been used for almost a century as antimicrobial agents. In the West, their use diminished when chemical antibiotics were introduced, but they remain a common therapeutic approach in parts of eastern Europe. Increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria has driven the demand for novel therapies to control infections and led to the replacement of antibiotics in animal husbandry. Alongside this, increased pressure to improve food safety has created a need for faster detection of pathogenic bacteria. Hence, there has been a resurgence of interest in bacteriophage applications, and this has encouraged the emergence of a large number of biotech companies hoping to commercialize their use. Research in Europe and the United States has increased steadily, leading to the development of a range of applications for bacteriophage agents for the healthcare, veterinary and agricultural sectors. This article will attempt to answer the question of whether bacteriophages are now delivering on their potential., (© 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

The use of phage or phage products in food production has recently become an option for the food industry as a novel method for biocontrol of unwanted pathogens, enhancing the safety of especially fresh and ready-to-eat food products. While it can be expected that many more phage products currently under development might become available in the future, several questions may be raised concerning the use of such products, regarding both immediate and long-term efficacy, consumer safety, and application methods. The available evidence suggests that, with a few caveats, safety concerns have been satisfactorily addressed. Answers concerning efficacy are more complex, depending on particular applications or the target pathogens. To ensure long-term efficacy beyond what can be tested on a laboratory scale, food safety concepts employing phages will have to be well-thought out and may involve rotation schemes as used with bacterial starter cultures, the use of phage cocktails, or application of phages combined with other antimicrobials. This review will discuss these issues on the basis of the available literature as well as providing an outlook on the potential of phages in future applications.

The incidence of foodborne infectious diseases is stable or has even increased in many countries. Consequently, our awareness regarding hygiene measures in food production has also increased dramatically over the last decades. However, even today's modern production techniques and intensive food-monitoring programs have not been able to effectively control the problem. At the same time, increased production volumes are distributed to more consumers, and if contaminated, potentially cause mass epidemics. Accordingly, research directed to improve food safety has also been taken forward, also exploring novel methods and technologies. Such an approach is represented by the use of bacteriophage for specific killing of unwanted bacteria. The extreme specificity of phages renders them ideal candidates for applications designed to increase food safety during the production process. Phages are the natural enemies of bacteria, and can be used for biocontrol of bacteria without interfering with the natural microflora or the cultures in fermented products. Moreover, phages or phage-derived proteins can also be used to detect the presence of unwanted pathogens in food or the production environments, which allows quick and specific identification of viable cells. This review intends to briefly summarize and explain the principles and current standing of these approaches.

Abstract Aims: To evaluate the ability of a filamentous phage encoding lethal proteins to kill bacteria without host-cell lysis. Methods and Results: Bacterial survival was determined after infection of a growing Escherichia coli culture with phage M13 encoding either the restriction endonuclease Bgl II gene or modified phage λ S holin genes. The genetically engineered phage exerted a high killing efficiency while leaving the cells structurally intact. When compared with a lytic phage, the release of endotoxin was minimized after infection with the genetically modified phages. Conclusions: Genetically engineered phage can be used for efficient killing, concomitantly minimizing endotoxin release. Significance and Impact of the Study: This feasibility study provides a possible strategy for the use of genetically engineered phage as bactericidal agents by optimizing the advantages and minimizing potential risks such as release of pyrogenic cell wall components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]