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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Produce Safety and Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #427901
Research Project: Elucidating the Factors that Determine the Ecology of Human Pathogens in Foods

Location: Produce Safety and Microbiology Research

Title: A comprehensive review of phage immobilization and encapsulation for the application in food safety

Author
item KOIRALA, PANKAJ - Washington State University
item Liao, Yen-Te
item LIN, MENG-WEI - Washington State University
item SABLANI, SHYAM - Washington State University
item Wu, Vivian

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2026
Publication Date: 6/30/2026
Citation: Koirala, P., Liao, Y., Lin, M., Sablani, S., Wu, V.C. 2026. A comprehensive review of phage immobilization and encapsulation for the application in food safety. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2691224.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2691224

Interpretive Summary: Foodborne illness is caused by consuming contaminated food with pathogens. Bacteriophages (or Phages) are a type of virus that is an excellent killer of foodborne pathogens. However, phages are sensitive to environmental conditions, such as pH, temperature, and salinity; thus, it is important to protect phages from environmental stress upon application in the food industry. Biopolymers are produced by living organisms to render additional protection to phages. Different biopolymers, such as sugars and proteins, are used for phage packaging and delivery. This review provided a comprehensive vision for the application of biopolymers in phage stability.

Technical Abstract: Bacteriophages (or Phages) are viruses that specifically infect bacteria and have been considered for biocontrol and biosensing applications. However, phage application poses a challenge in food production environments when exposed directly to adverse environmental conditions, such as high temperature, low pH, and UV exposure. Thus, encapsulation or immobilization technology is critical to enhancing the effectiveness of phage application. Thanks to the characteristics of biopolymers, they can protect phages from damage, aid phage activity, allow controlled release, and enhance antibacterial potency through encapsulation. This review provided comprehensive information regarding phage immobilization and encapsulation in various biopolymers, along with the stability, release, and infectivity of phages in a biopolymer-based system. Additionally, the application of the phage-loaded biopolymer system in the pre-harvest and post-harvest food environments was outlined along with the real-world application challenges, providing direction for future research.