Salmonella Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Salmonella, including details on salmonella typhimurium, food poisoning, infection, treatment.

Phage inactivation of foodborne pathogens on cooked and raw meat.

Bigwood T, Hudson JA, Billington C, Carey-Smith GV, Heinemann JA

Food Safety Programme, Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, Christchurch Science Centre, 27 Creyke Road, P.O. Box 29-181, Ilam, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Phages infecting Salmonella Typhimurium PT160 and Campylobacter jejuni were added at a low or high (10 or 10(4)) multiplicity of infection (MOI) to either low or high (<100 or 10(4)cm(-2)) densities of host bacteria inoculated onto raw and cooked beef, and incubated at 5 and 24 degrees C to simulate refrigerated and room temperature storage. Counts of host bacteria were made throughout the incubation period, with phages being counted at the first and last sampling times. Host inactivation was variable and depended on the incubation conditions and food type. Significant host inactivations of the order of 2-3 log(10)cm(-2) at 5 degrees C and >5.9 log(10)cm(-2) at 24 degrees C were achieved compared to phage-free controls using the Salmonella phage under optimal conditions (high host cell density and MOI). These results alongside those already published indicate that phages may be useful in the control for foodborne pathogens.

Published 21 January 2008 in Food Microbiol, 25(2): 400-6.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Salmonella Research Today. All Rights Reserved.