Isolation and Characterization of a Cocktail of Escherichia coli Phages and Its Application in Food

Foodborne illnesses caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli represent a significant challenge for the food industry. In this study, a cocktail bacteriophages with high lytic potential, broad host range, and thermal stability was designed and evaluated for the control of E. coli in lettuce stored at 4°C and 25°C. Phages were isolated from wastewater samples and selected based on their lytic activity against multiple strains. Application of the cocktail achieved significant reductions of E. coli ATCC 25922, reaching a maximum decrease of 2.64 log CFU/mL at 6 hours at 25°C and 2.47 log CFU/mL at 24 hours at 4°C. These results support the use of phage cocktails as a promising strategy for biocontrol of E. coli in fresh produce.