Listeria bacteriophage approved for food use

EBI Food Safety’s Listex P100, the Netherlands, was approved as generally recognised as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Processors are constantly looking for quicker and cheaper ways of preventing bacterial contamination of their products.

A natural cleaning wash made of live bacteria could help poultry processors get rid of pathogens from their products, avoiding the use of chemicals.

Approval was granted based on extensive safety and efficacy data and organoleptics tests confirming that Listex is safe and has no impact on taste, smell, colour, and other physical properties of treated products, the company claims.

EBI’s CEO, Mark Offerhaus, said food safety now tops the agenda of US food processing companies and consumers, who are insisting on “green” solutions, rather than chemicals.

“Natural bacteriophages prove to be a unique solution, where increased safety does not come at the expense of product characteristics. US food processors can now benefit from Listex, like their European counterparts,” he said.

 

 

For more information on listeria, visit the About Listeria website.