Targeting Listeria: European Court of Justice backs phage use on all ready-to-eat foods

25 Oct 2019 --- The European Court of Justice has issued a Court Order that enables food companies to continue the use of phages to prevent Listeria on all ready-to-eat foods in the absence of a legal framework. Phages that specifically kill Listeria can be used during food processing to prevent spreading of this potentially deadly bacterium on food. In recent months, Listeria outbreaks have caused deaths, miscarriages and hospitalizations in Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands and have provoked public concern.

“Demand for phages as a food safety solution is bigger outside of Europe because of the clarity in legislation in certain countries, such as the US and Australia. Demand is now expanding rapidly in Europe. Alternative food safety solutions that are being used include chemically-based preservatives, which are added to the product to inhibit Listeria. Better than suppressing the bacteria, phages kill bacteria,” Dirk de Meester, Director of Business Development at Dutch life sciences company Micreos Food Safety, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

As the natural enemy of bacteria, phages specifically kill pathogens, while leaving good bacteria intact. “There’s a tremendous demand on the market for phages, especially in light of all the outbreaks that are occurring right now,” adds de Meester.

Under the PhageGuard brand, Micreos has developed FDA-approved food safety products against Salmonella and Listeria. In the US in 2006, the company’s anti-Listeria phage product Listex was the first phage product generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and approved as a food processing aid by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Phages are green, smart and easy to apply on food via spraying, misting or dipping. They can also be used directly on food contact surfaces or in the processing environment. The PhageGuard advantage further is precision. It is targeted to eliminate pathogens in food products, without affecting taste, odor or texture. The PhageGuard products are effective in killing Listeria, Salmonella or E.Coli O-157,” explains de Meester.

Listex can be used to prevent the presence of Listeria during the final stages of production.EU backs use of phages in ready-to-eat foods
Phages have become an important food safety tool for the industry on all continents. But while this European innovation was accepted across the world, on the continent itself, the availability of the product has been hampered by regulatory uncertainty, Micreos notes. 

With the Order of the European Court of Justice, this ambiguity is addressed and Listex can be used to prevent the presence of Listeria during the final stages of production from growing out to contaminated levels, says Micreos.

Members of the European Parliament are now turning to the European Commission with the urgent advice to develop a specific EU phage regulation. For the meantime, “sufficient clarity has been established by the Court of Justice to apply this technology for the benefit of the European consumer, just as it has across all other continents,” says Micreos.

Staying vigilant
The recent Listeria food crises in Europe also demonstrates that even if a product has legally acceptable low levels of Listeria – and is thus considered to be “safe” – the bacteria can grow out to deadly levels when kept on store shelves and even at home in the refrigerator.

Listeria is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly and immune-comprised. According to Professor Frank Devlieghere, Microbiologist at the University of Ghent, “eradicating Listeria, even under the most rigorous hygiene regulations and quality controls, is almost impossible.” 

Ready-to-eat products are at particularly at risk of Listeria contamination, as these are usually not heated before consumption. The efficacy and safety of phage use in food-grade products has been confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

“While food processors are responsible for proper hygiene, they lack tools to deal with naturally present Listeria and have urgently called for innovation and additional tools to keep our food safe,” notes Micreos. “At the same time, consumers are calling for minimization of chemical preservatives on food as these can affect the human microbiome, which is an important part of our immune system.”

“Phages represent an entirely new category in food safety, without these drawbacks. Ironically, the fact that the use of phages differ from existing methods has been the very cause of delay in their acceptance in the EU,” the company highlights.

Professor Martin Loessner from the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zürich, comments, “As demonstrated and confirmed by independent scientific investigations over the past 15 years, phages are safe, natural and offer a simple, yet elegant way to prevent Listeria on our food products.

Food safety ostensibly remains at the top of the priority list among global consumers. In a recent study centered on Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (APMEA), Ireland-headquartered Kerry found that food safety holds greater significance than health and environmental claims for consumers within the region.

By Benjamin Ferrer