Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review
The increasing consumer demand for minimally processed foods (MPFs) has highlighted the need for innovative preservation methods that ensure both safety and quality. Among promising biocontrol tools, bacteriophages—viruses that selectively destroy bacteria—have gained significant attention. This rev...
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2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/778 |
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| author | Michał Wójcicki Barbara Sokołowska Andrzej Górski Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak |
| author_facet | Michał Wójcicki Barbara Sokołowska Andrzej Górski Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak |
| author_sort | Michał Wójcicki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing consumer demand for minimally processed foods (MPFs) has highlighted the need for innovative preservation methods that ensure both safety and quality. Among promising biocontrol tools, bacteriophages—viruses that selectively destroy bacteria—have gained significant attention. This review explores the dual role of bacteriophages in the food industry. On one hand, they offer a natural, highly specific, and environmentally friendly means of controlling both pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in MPFs, contributing to improved food safety, extended shelf life, and reduced reliance on antibiotics and chemical preservatives. Their use spans primary production, bio-sanitization, and biopreservation. On the other hand, phages pose significant risks in fermentation-based industries such as dairy, where they can disrupt starter cultures and impair production. This review also examines the regulatory, technological, and safety challenges involved in phage application, including concerns about antibiotic resistance gene transfer, the presence of endotoxins, and scale-up limitations. Ultimately, this paper argues that with proper strain selection and regulation, bacteriophages can become valuable allies in sustainable food systems, despite their potential drawbacks. The application of strictly virulent bacteriophages as part of “green biotechnology” could enhance food quality and improve consumer health safety. By implementing the “farm to fork” strategy, bacteriophages may contribute to the production of health-promoting and sustainable food. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e25eaf4c36b442f38e2876757fbf2bf4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-e25eaf4c36b442f38e2876757fbf2bf42025-08-20T03:26:52ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-05-0117677810.3390/v17060778Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive ReviewMichał Wójcicki0Barbara Sokołowska1Andrzej Górski2Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak3Bacteriophage Laboratory, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Microbiology, Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology—State Research Institute, Rakowiecka 36, 02-532 Warsaw, PolandBacteriophage Laboratory, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, PolandBacteriophage Laboratory, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, PolandThe increasing consumer demand for minimally processed foods (MPFs) has highlighted the need for innovative preservation methods that ensure both safety and quality. Among promising biocontrol tools, bacteriophages—viruses that selectively destroy bacteria—have gained significant attention. This review explores the dual role of bacteriophages in the food industry. On one hand, they offer a natural, highly specific, and environmentally friendly means of controlling both pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in MPFs, contributing to improved food safety, extended shelf life, and reduced reliance on antibiotics and chemical preservatives. Their use spans primary production, bio-sanitization, and biopreservation. On the other hand, phages pose significant risks in fermentation-based industries such as dairy, where they can disrupt starter cultures and impair production. This review also examines the regulatory, technological, and safety challenges involved in phage application, including concerns about antibiotic resistance gene transfer, the presence of endotoxins, and scale-up limitations. Ultimately, this paper argues that with proper strain selection and regulation, bacteriophages can become valuable allies in sustainable food systems, despite their potential drawbacks. The application of strictly virulent bacteriophages as part of “green biotechnology” could enhance food quality and improve consumer health safety. By implementing the “farm to fork” strategy, bacteriophages may contribute to the production of health-promoting and sustainable food.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/778bacteriophages (phages)antibiotic resistancebiocontrolfood qualityfood safetyfoodborne pathogens |
| spellingShingle | Michał Wójcicki Barbara Sokołowska Andrzej Górski Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review Viruses bacteriophages (phages) antibiotic resistance biocontrol food quality food safety foodborne pathogens |
| title | Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full | Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review |
| title_fullStr | Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review |
| title_short | Dual Nature of Bacteriophages: Friends or Foes in Minimally Processed Food Products—A Comprehensive Review |
| title_sort | dual nature of bacteriophages friends or foes in minimally processed food products a comprehensive review |
| topic | bacteriophages (phages) antibiotic resistance biocontrol food quality food safety foodborne pathogens |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/778 |
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