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Imprint
Development and validation of detection methods for phage preparations in food products
Project
Project code: BfR-BIOS-08-1329-500
Contract period: 01.12.2012
- 30.11.2013
Purpose of research: Applied research
To combat zoonotic pathogens along the food chain, an increasing number of products is under way harnessing the lytic activity of bacteriophages. Due to the facts that humans ingest everyday a large number of phages with their food, that phages possess a high speci-ficity for their bacterial hosts and that they are both self-replicating and self-limiting, phages are generally well suited to be applied in the food sector. 'ListexTM P100' which has been developed to control Listeria monocytogenes, has already got an approval in the United States (GRAS status) and in some european countries (Switzerland, Netherlands). Though, there is still no approval for the use of the product in other EU member states. Phage formulations for the reduction of Campylobacter, E. coli und Salmonella are currently under way or even ready for the market. However, it has yet not been decided by the European Commission how to classify a phage preparation in terms of legislation (as a food additive or processing aid). This issue is of great importance since food additives require an EU-authorisation procedure. By contrast, processing aids are subjected to national legislation.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment was already requested by a surveillance authority whether specific methods exist for the detection of Listex TM P100 because it was surmised that the preparation is already used in Germany. Producers normally do not make protocols for the detection of their products available. Therefore, it is important to provide simple and sensitive detection methods for Listex TM P100 and other phage preparations that are likely to be launched in the near future. Within the project 'Campyquant' funded by the BLE, PCR procedures for the detection of the most common Campylobacter phage groups have been developed. Based on these techniques, it is feasible to provide a Multiplex PCR method which allows for the detection of all currently known Campylobacter phages.
Section overview
Subjects
- Food microbiology
