Intralytix: Food Safety in the 21st Century: Bacteriophage-based Biocontrol as an Emerging Green Technology for Improving Food Safety

September 3, 2024 Food & Beverage Technology Review

Dr. Alexander "Sandro" Sulakvelidze, President & CEO of Intralytix. Foodborne illnesses are a significant global public health concern, leading to millions of cases and substantial economic costs each year. To put this into perspective: about 1 in 10 people worldwide develop a foodborne illness each year (equivalent to about six hundred million cases each year). The numbers are even more alarming in the United States, where the annual infection rate is higher with an estimated 1 in 6 people experiencing a foodborne illness each year. The burden of foodborne illness is significant, as it includes not only the health impacts on individuals, such as gastrointestinal infections and more severe conditions, but also economic consequences due to healthcare costs, lost productivity, and food spoilage (in the United States alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that foodborne illnesses cost approximately $77 billion annually). Thus, there is a clear need for products and approaches that can be used as part of an overall program for foodborne pathogen control. Any such product should be effective, cheap, safe, environmentally friendly, and easy to use. Bacteriophage-based preparations offer one such approach.

Phage biocontrol – an emerging modern technology now going mainstream for improving food safety.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and kill specific bacteria. Phages are the oldest (approximately 3.5 billion years old) and the most ubiquitous organisms on Earth (approximately ten nonillion phages). Phages are commonly found in foods (e.g., 100% of fresh, unprocessed foods contain millions of phages) and are part of the normal human gastrointestinal microflora (e.g., a healthy human gut contains about one quadrillion phages). Intralytix has pioneered the phage biocontrol approach where naturally occurring phages are used to reduce or eradicate specific foodborne bacterial pathogens in various foods. The concept of phage biocontrol is that phage preparations, usually containing phages isolated from various foods or other natural environmental sources, are applied back onto foods to specifically kill their targeted foodborne bacteria in those foods, without any negative impact on normal food microflora or nutritional and organoleptic values of the foods.

Intralytix – on the forefront of phage biocontrol technology.

Intralytix was the first company in the world to receive FDA approval for a bacteriophage product for food safety applications. The company currently has the largest portfolio in the world of FDA- and USDA-approved bacteriophage preparations for food safety applications, with products targeting major foodborne pathogens such as L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and STEC E. coli. More information about these products is available online at Bacteriophage Products - Intralytix, Inc.

Here's how Intralytix's phage products benefit food safety:

1. Targeted Action: Phages are highly specific only for their targeted type of bacteria. This means phages can target and destroy specific pathogenic bacteria in various foods, without harming beneficial microorganisms or affecting the quality or nutritional value of the foods. Typical application usually results in 99-99.9% reductions in the levels of targeted bacteria in various foods, and often in complete eradication of those bacteria.
2. Cost Effective and Simple to Apply: Phage efficacy is concentration-dependent: the more phage applied onto foods, the greater the reduction in the targeted foodborne bacterial pathogen levels in those foods. The typical application is by spraying using industrial sprayers commonly found in most food processing facilities. If needed, Intralytix can also provide sprayers specifically developed for phage applications on various foods.
3. Natural and Safe: Phages are natural components of the environment and are present in enormous numbers in all fresh, unprocessed foods. They offer a natural solution that avoids or reduces the use of harsh chemicals or antibiotics, which can have broader environmental and health impacts. Phages also have no detrimental (e.g., corrosive) effect on equipment in food processing facilities and can be safely used when personnel are present. All phage products produced by Intralytix contain natural phages that have not been genetically altered in any way (i.e., non-GMO).
4. Food Industry Applications: Intralytix’s products can be used across all food sectors (including various ready-to-eat foods, meat, poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables, and grains) to control pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Shiga toxin producing E. coli or STEC (including O157:H7 and all other “big six” serogroups of STEC).
5. Regulatory Approvals and Certifications: Phage-based products are subject to rigorous testing and regulatory approvals to ensure they are safe and effective for use in food processing environments. Intralytix currently has the largest portfolio in the world of FDA- and USDA-approved phage preparations for food safety applications. Some of these preparations are also approved in Canada and Israel. Intralytix phage products are produced in the United States, in an SQF-certified facility, under 21 CFR 117 compliant cGMP conditions. They are also certified Kosher and Halal, and are OMRI listed, i.e., suitable for use in the production of organic foods.
6. Reducing risk of recalls and helping food producers improve their alternative standing with the USDA. Use of Intralytix phage products has helped many food processing companies to reduce the risk of recalls due to their foods being contaminated with foodborne bacterial pathogens. In addition, several companies in the United States have improved their standing with USDA, e.g., from alternative 3 to alternative 2 or 1, by using Intralytix phage products. Ensuring that consumers are offered safer products, food producers reduce their risk of exposure.

Dr. Alexander “Sandro” Sulakvelidze, President and CEO of Intralytix, commented “Intralytix has always been a beacon of innovation and our recent strides in the field of bacteriophage biocontrol are setting new standards in microbial control.” Dr. Sulakvelidze concluded “We have not only elevated the standards of microbial control but have also proven that tailored, precision phage-based solutions can drive meaningful change across the food industry. Intralytix’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of science and technology is not just about staying ahead of the curve - it is about making a real difference in the world.”

For product inquires, or to place an order, send an email to sales@intralytix.com or call 1-877-ITX-PHAGE (1-877-489-7424) and select option 1.