The application of bacteriophages (phages) that target and kill bacteria to
safeguard foods and food production facilities has attracted attention over the last
decade. As phages are often already present in foods and food production settings, their
specificity and antimicrobial activity against foodborne bacterial pathogens can be
harnessed to affect biocontrol/bio-sanitization with minimal risk to the product or the
consumer. Efficacy studies on foodborne bacterial pathogens have established the
utility of the approach, and these, coupled with the inherent safety of phages, have led
to regulatory approvals and the marketing of phage products for food safety. Here, we
review the supporting research that demonstrates the effects of phage on foods and
food contact surfaces with specific reference to the challenges of controlling bacteria
that can resist conventional cleaning processes either due to adaption and/or refuge in
microbial biofilms.
Keywords: Bacteriophage, Bio-sanitation, Biofilms, Biocontrol, Campylobacter, Enterovirulent E. coli, Food surfaces, Food production, Food safety, Food processing, Foodborne pathogens, Listeria, Phage biocontrol, Ready-to-eat foods, Salmonella.