title: Bacteriophage P22 to challenge Salmonella in foods.
abstract: In this study we considered the influence of phage addition on the fate of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in different foods. Phage P22 was applied to the following: liquid eggs, energy drinks, whole and skimmed milk, apple juice, chicken breast and chicken mince all spiked with its host, whose growth was monitored for 24 and 48 h at 4 °C. Appreciable host inactivation, generally in the order of 2 log cycles, was achieved compared to phage-free controls in all food matrices when 10(4) UFC/g host inoculum was used. Furthermore, wild food strains belonging to the serotypes Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Derby Give, Newport, Muenchen and Muenster were assayed towards phage P22. Only isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium as well as Salmonella Derby and Salmonella Enteritidis was inhibited by the presence of P22 phage. Additional challenge experiments were carried out by spiking liquid-eggs, chicken breast and chicken mince with mixes of wild Salmonella Typhimurium (at concentration of about 10(4) UFC/g) strains along with their relative phage P22. The results showed a reduction of 2-3 log cycles after 48 h at 4 °C depending on both mix of strains and the specific food. Overall, the results indicate that phages may be useful in the control of food-borne pathogens. The food matrices considered, the liquid more than the solid, do not seem to affect the phage ability of infection compared to similar tests performed in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy; CRA-NUT, Food and Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Council, 00178 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zinno
authors.affiliation: CRA-NUT, Food and Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Council, 00178 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Devirgiliis
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ercolini
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, Uganda.
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ongeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy. Electronic address: giamauri@unina.it.
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mauriello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017100:Bacteriophage P22 / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens; D004531:Eggs / Q000382:microbiology; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D012475:Salmonella / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Bacteriophage P22; Bacteriophage biocontrol; Salmonella Typhimurium