Bacteriophages: Powerful Weapons in the Arsenal Against Foodborne Illness

Posted: Tuesday, August 14 2019
By Lois Harris

Bacteriophage-based products have been approved for use in food applications and are increasingly commercially available in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Israel. Most of these phage products are water-based concentrates, free of chemicals and preservatives, and are not genetically modified. But how do they stack up against standard antimicrobial processes like pasteurization, irradiation, chemical disinfectants and high-pressure processing (HPP)?

Dr. Alexander Sulakvelidze feels that phages represent a highly effective tool to prevent foodborne illness and recalls. Sulakvelidze is Executive Vice-President and Chief Scientific Officer of Intralytix, a biotechnology company based in Baltimore, Maryland that focuses on discovering, producing and marketing bacteriophage-based products.