Bacteriophage Applications for Controlling Pathogens in Seafood Processing and Storage

Seafood products are highly perishable and particularly susceptible to contamination by pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, including Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio spp., Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli. Conventional control strategies in seafood processing and storage largely rely on chemical preservatives and thermal treatments, which may negatively affect sensory quality and increasingly conflict with consumer demand for minimally processed, “clean-label” foods. In this context, bacteriophages, viruses that specifically infect and lyse bacterial hosts, have emerged as natural, targeted, and environmentally sustainable biocontrol agents for food safety applications. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of bacteriophage applications in seafood processing and storage, with particular emphasis on their mechanisms of action, host specificity, and ability to selectively reduce pathogenic bacteria without compromising nutritional or sensory attributes. Recent advances in phage-based technologies, including phage cocktails, immobilized phage systems, and genetically engineered phages, are discussed in relation to their efficacy against major seafood-associated pathogens under both laboratory and industrial conditions. Key challenges limiting large-scale implementation such as phage resistance development, regulatory considerations, stability during processing and storage, and consumer perception are critically evaluated. In addition, the review highlights emerging evidence on the synergistic use of bacteriophages with complementary preservation strategies, including natural antimicrobials and innovative packaging systems. Overall, this review underscores the potential of bacteriophage-based interventions as practical and sustainable tools to enhance seafood safety, extend shelf life, and support modern seafood processing practices aligned with evolving regulatory and consumer expectations.

• Publication year

  2026

• Venue

  Applied Biosciences

• Publication date

  2026-03-01

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/applbiosci5010015
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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