Salmonelex is the second phage product for food safety accepted in Australia and New Zealand after an earlier approval of Listex against Listeria monocytogenes. It is produced by Micreos of The Netherlands, leader in phage technology.
“The use of Salmonella phages to treat raw meat and raw poultry meat will reduce the exposure of the community to Salmonella from these foods, resulting in less illness. This will reduce the burden on Government to treat illnesses associated with salmonellosis,” said the FSANZ final approval report for Salmonelex.
Salmonelex is misted onto the surface and kills Salmonella without any sensory effects, and is certified organic. As a processing-aid it does not require labelling. After approvals in the USA it may now be used in Aus/NZ to control Salmonella on meat and poultry products.
Salmonella is one of the most commonly reported causes of foodborne illness, with raw fresh meat and poultry often implicated as a source of infection. Fresh raw meat and poultry can be contaminated with Salmonella, which can cause illness if meat is consumed under-cooked or if cross contamination occurs during handling and preparation.
Phage Technology
Phages are the most abundant micro-organisms on our planet. They are harmless to humans, animals and plants and are naturally present in high numbers on our skin, in our gut, in our environment, in our water and many of our foods. We consume high numbers of phages with our food, without any impact on human health or on taste and enjoyment of the food.
Phage technology is set to replace antibiotics and chemicals in many applications, as it can be used for targeted control of only unwanted bacteria. Phages are essential for life on earth, and kill roughly half of all bacteria on the planet every two days.