<i>Salmonella</i> Phage vB_SpuM_X5: A Novel Approach to Reducing <i>Salmonella</i> Biofilms with Implications for Food Safety.

Abstract

<i>Salmonella</i>, a prevalent foodborne pathogen, poses a significant social and economic strain on both food safety and public health. The application of phages in the control of foodborne pathogens represents an emerging research area. In this study, <i>Salmonella pullorum</i> phage vB_SpuM_X5 (phage X5) was isolated from chicken farm sewage samples. The results revealed that phage X5 is a novel <i>Myoviridae</i> phage. Phage X5 has adequate temperature tolerance (28 °C-60 °C), pH stability (4-12), and a broad host range of <i>Salmonella</i> bacteria (87.50% of tested strains). The addition of phage X5 (MOI of 100 and 1000) to milk inoculated with <i>Salmonella</i> reduced the number of <i>Salmonella</i> by 0.72 to 0.93 log₁₀ CFU/mL and 0.66 to 1.06 log₁₀ CFU/mL at 4 °C and 25 °C, respectively. The addition of phage X5 (MOI of 100 and 1000) to chicken breast inoculated with <i>Salmonella</i> reduced bacterial numbers by 1.13 to 2.42 log₁₀ CFU/mL and 0.81 to 1.25 log₁₀ CFU/mL at 4 °C and 25 °C, respectively. Phage X5 has bactericidal activity against <i>Salmonella</i> and can be used as a potential biological bacteriostatic agent to remove mature biofilms of <i>Salmonella</i> or for the prevention and control of <i>Salmonella</i>.