Bacteriophages in Food Fermentations: New Frontiers in a Continuous Arms Race

Phage contamination represents an important risk to any process requiring bacterial growth, particularly in the biotechnology and food industries. The presence of unwanted phages may lead to manufacturing delays, lower quality product, or, in the worst cases, total production loss. Thus, constant ph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of food science and technology 2013-01, Vol.4 (1), p.347-368
Main Authors: Samson, Julie E, Moineau, Sylvain
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
antiphage
Bacteria
Bacteriophages - classification
Bacteriophages - growth & development
Bacteriophages - isolation & purification
Biotechnology
evolution
Fermentation
Food
Food Microbiology
genomic
lactic acid bacteria
Lactobacillus - virology
Lactococcus lactis - virology
Leuconostoc - virology
phage-host interactions
Streptococcus thermophilus - virology
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Summary:Phage contamination represents an important risk to any process requiring bacterial growth, particularly in the biotechnology and food industries. The presence of unwanted phages may lead to manufacturing delays, lower quality product, or, in the worst cases, total production loss. Thus, constant phage monitoring and stringent application of the appropriate control measures are indispensable. In fact, a systematic preventive approach to phage contamination [phage analysis and critical control points (PACCP)] should be put in place. In this review, sources of phage contamination and novel phage detection methods are described, with an emphasis on bacterial viruses that infect lactic acid bacteria used in food fermentations. Recent discoveries related to antiphage systems that are changing our views on phage-host interactions are highlighted. Finally, future directions are also discussed.
ISSN:1941-1413
1941-1421
DOI:10.1146/annurev-food-030212-182541