Abstract: Food safety is a paramount public health concern, particularly with the rise of
antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. This systematic review explores the efficacy of bacteriophages
as a novel and environmentally sustainable approach to controlling multi-resistant
and non-resistant bacterial pathogens in animal-derived food products. Following PRISMA
guidelines, data from multiple studies were synthesized to evaluate bacteriophage applications
across diverse food matrices, including beef, poultry, seafood, and dairy. The findings
highlight significant variability in bacteriophage efficacy, influenced by factors such as
food matrix properties, bacterial strains, and application methods. Phage cocktails and
their combination with thermal treatments consistently demonstrated superior bacterial
reduction compared to single-phage applications, which yielded variable results. Interestingly,
the absence of a clear dose-response relationship underscores the need for a more
detailed understanding of phage-host interactions and environmental influences. This
review addresses a critical gap in the literature by advocating for matrix-specific, targeted
phage applications over generalized approaches. Additionally, it underscores the transformative
potential of bacteriophages as sustainable alternatives to chemical disinfectants
in modern food safety practices. These insights provide a framework for future research
aimed at optimizing bacteriophage efficacy and scaling their application in real-world food
production systems.
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