Food safety remains a paramount concern for the global food industry, with pathogen contamination posing significant health risks and economic burdens. Traditional methods of control, such as antibiotics and harsh chemical preservatives, are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny and consumer resistance. Bacteriophages (phages)—viruses that specifically infect and lyse bacteria—have emerged as a powerful, natural, and highly specific alternative for biocontrol. At Creative Biolabs, we leverage decades of expertise in virology to provide comprehensive Phage Services designed to tackle the most persistent foodborne pathogens, including Listeria, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli.
The global food supply chain is frequently compromised by bacterial pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). These organisms can form robust biofilms on food processing equipment, rendering them resistant to conventional sanitizers. Furthermore, the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture has accelerated the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, creating an urgent need for novel antimicrobial strategies. Phages offer a unique solution as "smart" antimicrobials; they are abundant in nature, inherently non-toxic to humans, and capable of self-replication at the site of infection (auto-dosing). Unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics, phages exhibit high host specificity, targeting only the specific pathogenic bacteria without disturbing the beneficial microflora of the food product or the human gut microbiome.
The efficacy of phage biocontrol relies on the lytic cycle of strictly virulent phages. Unlike temperate phages, which can integrate into the host genome, lytic phages are "obligate killers." The process begins with adsorption, where the phage's tail fibers recognize and bind to specific receptors on the bacterial surface with lock-and-key precision. This high specificity ensures that the phage targets only the pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Salmonella) while sparing beneficial gut microbiota and starter cultures in fermented foods.
Following adsorption, the phage injects its genetic material into the host cell, hijacking the bacterial machinery to replicate its own DNA and synthesize viral proteins. This leads to the assembly of new phage progeny. The cycle concludes with the synthesis of endolysins and holins, enzymes that compromise the bacterial cell wall, causing cell lysis and death. This releases hundreds of new phages into the environment, ready to infect remaining target bacteria. This "auto-dosing" effect allows phages to propagate as long as the host bacteria are present, providing active, ongoing protection in food matrices.
The utilization of bacteriophage in the food industry has expanded from basic research to practical, large-scale applications. These applications are generally categorized into biocontrol (direct application to food), biosanitization (disinfection of equipment), and detection.
Phage food safety strategies involve the direct application of lytic phages to food surfaces to reduce bacterial loads. This is particularly effective for ready-to-eat (RTE) meats, dairy products, and fresh produce where thermal processing is not feasible. For instance, specific listeria phage preparations are widely used to control L. monocytogenes on cheese rinds and deli meats, preventing listeriosis outbreaks without altering the organoleptic properties of the food.
Bacterial biofilms on stainless steel, rubber, and plastic surfaces in food processing plants are a major source of cross-contamination. Bacteriophage food application in biosanitization involves using phage cocktails to penetrate and disrupt the exopolysaccharide matrix of biofilms, providing a level of deep cleaning that chemical sanitizers often fail to achieve.
Beyond control, phages serve as rapid and sensitive biosensors. By engineering phages to express reporter genes (e.g., luciferase) or using them as specific recognition elements in impedance-based sensors, we can detect low levels of viable pathogens in complex food matrices much faster than traditional culture methods.
Creative Biolabs offers a modular suite of services tailored to the needs of the food safety sector. We assist clients in developing custom phage solutions from discovery to pilot-scale production.
We isolate novel lytic phages from environmental samples (soil, water, sewage) that are highly specific to your target foodborne pathogen. Our screening ensures the selection of obligate lytic phages lacking virulence factors or antibiotic resistance genes.
Comprehensive biological and genomic characterization is essential for regulatory compliance. We perform host range analysis, one-step growth curves, stability testing (pH, temperature), and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to ensure safety and efficacy.
Our GMP and Non-GMP Phage Production capabilities allow for the scale-up of high-titer phage stocks. We optimize upstream fermentation and downstream purification processes to remove endotoxins and host cell proteins, suitable for food applications.
We develop phage-based detection assays exclusively for scientific research and pre-clinical studies. Our solutions facilitate the rapid monitoring of phages in food matrices or bacterial cultures, including the development of lateral flow assays and electrochemical biosensors leveraging the specificity of phage receptor binding proteins.
Recent studies have demonstrated the high potential of specific lytic bacteriophages in controlling Salmonella contamination in dairy products. Researchers isolated and characterized a novel lytic phage, ZCSE6, from raw milk samples. The study evaluated the lytic activity of ZCSE6 against Salmonella at various multiplicities of infection (MOIs) and temperatures relevant to food storage.
The results indicated that ZCSE6 exhibited potent lytic activity, significantly reducing Salmonella concentrations. Specifically, in milk models incubated at 37°C, the application of ZCSE6 at an MOI of 1 resulted in a dramatic bacterial reduction, achieving approximately a 3-log reduction (1000-fold decrease) in viable cell counts within just 3 hours compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, the phage showed stability and continued activity at lower temperatures (8°C), suggesting its utility in maintaining food safety during cold chain storage. These findings underscore the feasibility of using naturally occurring phages like ZCSE6 as effective, safe, and natural biocontrol agents in the dairy industry to mitigate foodborne pathogen risks.
Fig.1 Biocontrol efficacy of lytic phage ZCSE6 reducing Salmonella in milk and cold storage.1
Q: Are phages safe for human consumption?
Q: Will phages affect the taste or smell of the food?
A: No. Purified phage preparations are odorless and tasteless. They do not alter the sensory organoleptic properties (taste, texture, color, or aroma) of the food products they are applied to.
Q: Can bacteria develop resistance to phages used in food?
A: While bacterial resistance can occur, it is typically managed by using "phage cocktails"—mixtures of multiple different phages that target different receptors on the bacteria. This makes it extremely difficult for the bacteria to develop resistance to all phages simultaneously.
Q: What types of food can be treated with phages?
A: Phages can be applied to a wide variety of foods, including ready-to-eat meats (deli meat, hot dogs), dairy products (cheese), fresh fruits and vegetables, and poultry or seafood products.
Q: Do phages harm beneficial gut bacteria or probiotics?
A: No. Phages are highly host-specific, often targeting only specific strains or species of bacteria. They do not harm the beneficial commensal microbiota in the human gut or starter cultures (e.g., lactobacillus) used in food fermentation.
Q: How are phages applied to food products?
A: Phages are typically applied as a liquid spray, a dip, or a surface wash. They can be sprayed directly onto meat carcasses, cheese rinds, or fresh produce, or added to water used for washing food items. The application is simple and can be integrated into existing food processing lines.
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Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).
Creative Biolabs is a globally recognized phage company. Creative Biolabs is committed to providing researchers with the most reliable service and the most competitive price.
