ABSTRACT
Bacteriophage, also known as phage, is a type of virus that infects only bacteria cells. These phages are grouped into two broad classes based on their life cycle, namely, the lytic and lysogenic phages. Of these two categories, the major phage of interest is the lytic phage which offers several potential applications in the food industry because of their high host specificity and safety as they are harmless to mammalian cells as well as the normal microbiota of the food. Their application has been well documented as biocontrol agents, bio-preservatives as well as tools for detecting pathogens. This chapter will review in detail the various facts and findings regarding the application of phages as agent against foodborne pathogens in a process known as “biocontrol.”
