Posted: June 7th, 2012 - 4:11pm
Source: Journal of Food Safety

ABSTRACT
The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of bacteriophage Av-08 for reducing Salmonella Montevideo and Escherichia coliO157:H7 presence from chicken skin surface at 4C. Significant reduction (P < 0.05) of S. Montevideo (5.16 log10 colony-forming units [cfu]/4 cm2 chicken skin) and E. coli O157:H7 (4.9 log10 cfu/4 cm2 chicken skin) was achieved. When phage was applied to the bacterial mixture, a reduction of 4.4 and 4.69 log10 cfu/4 cm2 of S. Montevideo and E. coli O157:H7 was obtained on the chicken skin surface, respectively. No significant reduction was observed by buffer application, compared with the control. Phage Av-08 was able to survive on the chicken skin surface at concentrations fluctuating from 7.27 to 8.44 log10 PFU/4 cm2 for 6 days. These results demonstrated the ability of phage Av-08 in reducing the presence of S. Montevideo and E. coli O157:H7 from chicken skin surface at 4C.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Recent antimicrobial and disinfectant bacterial resistance have renewed interest of using bacteriophage biocontrol against foodborne bacterial pathogens. In this research lytic bacteriophage Av-08 was evaluated for reducing Salmonella Montevideo and Escherichia coliO157:H7 from chicken skin surface. Actually, commercial bacteriophage preparations have been exploited for biocontroling foodborne bacterial pathogens. Phage Av-08 was able to simultaneously reduce S. Montevideo and E. coli O157:H7 presence from chicken skin. Therefore, bacteriophage Av-08 showed potential to be exploited for biocontroling Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 from foods.