Bacteriophage potential in combating bacterial pathogens has been recognized nearly since the moment of discovery of these viruses at the beginning of the 20th century. Interest in phage application, which initially focused on medical treatments, rapidly spread throughout different biotechnological and industrial fields. This includes the food safety sector in which the presence of pathogens poses an explicit threat to consumers. This is also the field in which commercialization of phage-based products shows the greatest progress. Application of bacteriophages has gained special attention particularly in recent years, presumably due to the potential of conventional antibacterial strategies being exhausted. In this review, we present recent findings regarding phage application in fighting major foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Yersinia spp., Campylobacter jejuni and Listeria monocytogenes. We also discuss advantages of bacteriophage use and challenges facing phage-based antibacterial strategies, particularly in the context of their widespread application in food safety.
Keywords: bacteriophage application; bacteriophages; food safety; foodborne illness; foodborne pathogens; phage biocontrol; phage commercial products.