Bacteria-eating virus approved as food additive

FDA Consum. 2007 Jan-Feb;41(1):20-2.

Abstract

Not all viruses harm people. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a mixture of viruses as a food additive to protect people. The additive can be used in processing plants for spraying onto ready-to-eat meat and poultry products to protect consumers from the potentially life-threatening bacterium Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes).

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteriophages / physiology*
  • Food Additives
  • Food Labeling / standards
  • Food Microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Listeria monocytogenes / virology*
  • Listeriosis / complications
  • Listeriosis / prevention & control*
  • Meat / microbiology
  • Poultry / microbiology
  • Virus Replication / physiology

Substances

  • Food Additives