The application and control of bacteriophage in food industry

Abstract:

In recent years, phages have shown promising applications in the control and detection of harmful microorganisms in food processing and preservation due to their specificity in infecting bacteria. For example, phages can be sprayed on food surfaces or combined with food packaging materials to control food-borne pathogenic bacteria and spoilage bacteria, and genetic engineering can be used to construct reporter phages for rapid detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria. However, phage is also one of the most important detrimental factors in food fermentation. Phage contamination often leads to the failure of the whole fermentation process, causing huge economic loss. At present, phage contamination is mainly prevented by the methods of disinfection and inactivation, fermentation bacterial strain change, etc. This paper reviews the current research status of phage application and hazards in food industry to provide theoretical basis for broadening the application of phage in food industry and developing new technologies for phage contamination prevention.

Key words:bacteriophages;foodborne pathogen;biocontrol;contamination