Intralytix: Leveraging Phage Power for Food Safety

The contemporary adage, “If it isn’t safe, it isn’t food,” clearly outlines the significance of food safety - a fundamental principle that underpins the food industry. While supply chains globally exert themselves to uphold food safety, from farm to table, bacterial contamination remains a persistent problem that presents a significant challenge to businesses and risk to public health. According to a recent CDC report, the U.S. witnesses over 48 million cases of foodborne illness, leading to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually.

As Alexander “Sandro” Sulakvelidze, President and CEO of Intralytix, Inc., states, “Bacterial pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella, can contaminate our food supply and trigger foodborne illnesses with all the associated negative public health, social, and economic implications. Our phage products effectively control foodborne bacterial pathogens in foods, making them safer for consumers while also reducing the risk of exposure for food producers.”

As a biotechnology innovator, Intralytix is ideally positioned to curtail these burgeoning bacterial contaminations affecting global food supply chains and public health. Its revolutionary bacteriophage technologies eliminate all major foodborne bacterial contaminants, providing a safe way to manage foods. These solutions far outweigh the abilities of conventional, chemical-based antimicrobials, helping food producers take a superior and eco-friendly approach to bacterial pathogen control.

Intralytix’s has the most extensive bacteriophage-based product line on the market. These include ListShield^™, EcoShield^™ PX, CampyShield^™, ShigaShield^™ and SalmoFresh^™ - all designed to attain one goal - ensuring a safe food supply chain by targeting the major contributors of bacterial contamination in food.

Intralytix’s ListShield^™ solution effectively combats L.monocytogenes, while its EcoShield^™ PX primarily targets all major Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotypes.ShigaShield^™, on the other hand, mitigates contaminations due to all Shigella species, and CampyShield^™ eliminates Campylobacter species. Whereas SalmoFresh^™is ideal for controlling pathogenic Salmonella serotypes in various foods. With such a broad FDA-approved product portfolio, Intralytix is the only phage company in the world with the ability to address all major foodborne bacterial pathogens of concern from the food safety standpoint.

Recognized for offering highly effective phage products, Intralytix prides itself on providing a client-centric approach. As part of this approach, the Company lends a hand in evaluating the suitability of the client’s equipment, and if necessary, provides proprietary, specially designed spray systems to ensure optimal phage applications. This hands-on approach ensures food producers achieve optimal results and maximize the value of their investments, fostering trust and confidence in the offerings.

“At Intralytix, we prioritize continuous communication and support, actively monitoring clients’ output quality and addressing their emerging challenges. Our team is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive solution that is effective and compliant while ensuring room for continuous improvement,” says Mr. Greg Strang, Director of food safety at Intralytix.

Intralytix was the first company in the world to receive FDA and USDA approval for a phage product for food safety applications - and with that approval it pioneered the use of phage biocontrol for improving food safety. That first product targeted Listeria monocytogenes, a deadly foodborne pathogen with mortality rates as high as 20-30%. The Company now has the most extensive portfolio of FDA- and USDA approved, non-GMO phage products for food safety applications in the world. As the largest phage-dedicated cGMP production facility that operates under 21 CFR 117 standards, the Company complies with nutraceutical and food safety regulations. Its products are listed as kosher, halal and OMRI, ensuring suitability for relevant food productions. Intralytix also holds the nametag as the first, and so far the only, phage company in the world with SQF certification.

All these certifications attest to Intralytix’s product quality and efficacy, enabling it to witness an impressive 800 percent growth within just a few years. Their team of professionals, comprising technical experts and microbiologists with extensive experience in phage biology and applications, continues to fuel the Intralytix engine. This blend of diverse expertise directly benefits food processing companies by improving safety of the foods they produce, and many customers have witnessed higher profitability by allowing them to mitigate the potential for expensive food recalls stemming from contamination. Noteworthy, Intralytix has a successful track record of facilitating the transition of food processing companies from level three to level two or one, improving their USDA compliance stance.

Intralytix’s drive for growth also extends to expanding its reach and geographical footprint. Starting in 2025, the company plans to broaden its production plants to meet growing demands, further enhancing its position as the leading player in the field.