Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Biofilms Using Bacteriophage BPECO 19

Biofilm formation is a growing concern in the food industry. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the most important foodborne pathogens that can persists in food and food‐related environments and subsequently produce biofilms. The efficacy of bacteriophage BPECO 19 was evaluated against three E. coli O157:H7 strains in biofilms. Biofilms of the three E. coli O157:H7 strains were grown on abiotic (stainless steel, rubber, and minimum biofilm eradication concentration [MBECTM] device) and biotic (lettuce) surfaces at different temperatures. The effectiveness of bacteriophage BPECO 19 in reducing preformed biofilms on these surfaces was further evaluated by treating the surfaces with a phage suspension (108 PFU/mL) for 2 h. The results indicated that the phage treatment significantly reduced (P