Challenges for the application of bacteriophages as effective antibacterial agents in the food industry

Food contamination caused by foodborne pathogens is one of the most important concerns in public health worldwide, and accounts for a significant portion of food loss every year. The emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria has turned the attention of researchers back to the potential of bacteriophages as antibacterial agents, and their use has been attempted in various pre-and post-harvest food production settings. The application of phage-based antibacterial products has achieved considerable success but a number of technical, environmental and administrative challenges remain unaddressed. In this review, we summarize the current status of bacteriophage application in the food industry. We discuss the obstacles facing the further development of phage-based antibacterial products from the aspects of technology, environmental safety, and administrative policy. We also advance some possible solutions to these challenges. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.