Limitations and safety aspects related to the use of bacteriophages in food production

TL;DR

This review discusses the potential and challenges of using bacteriophages as antimicrobial agents in food production, highlighting their benefits, limitations, and safety concerns.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of phage applications, limitations, and regulatory considerations in food production.

Findings

Bacteriophages show promise as natural antimicrobial agents in food safety.

Their effectiveness and application range are limited, and regulatory classification remains unclear.

Safety concerns and knowledge gaps require further research.

Abstract

Bacteriophages are considered to have great potential as naturally occurring, antimicrobial agents for use in food production. Phages are ubiquitous in nature and can be isolated from almost all habitats. This review outlines the possibilities, as well as the limitations of their use in food production. Applications of phages in the food sector are described and the limitations of their use, as well as potential risks, are discussed. Approaches for a possible classification as either processing aid or food additive are considered, and the current status of their use in and outside the EU is presented. Finally, the need for research to close identified knowledge gaps is highlighted.

Bacteriophages can be used as antimicrobial agents and contribute to food safety; however, their range of application and effectiveness are limited, their regulatory classification is not yet conclusively clarified, and certain safety aspects are still debated.

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