Phage cocktails as a new antibiotic for combating bacteria consortium in foodborne disease

Marzuqi, Salsabila Jahroh
Putri, Adelia Meita
Purwanto, Martinus Effand Pratama
Murtadho, Ahmad Hibban
Grahita, Amanda Claudia Ayuning
Narulita, Erlia

Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan, Biologi dan Terapan
Vol. 10 No. 02 (2025): Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan, Biologi dan Terapan

Foodborne diseases pose a critical global health threat, exacerbated by the alarming rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi. Conventional antibiotics are increasingly ineffective, necessitating the development of alternative therapeutic and biocontrol strategies. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and stability of a bacteriophage cocktail as a potential non-antibiotic alternative for controlling a consortium of foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The research employed an experimental design using revived cultures of the three bacterial species and three phage isolates (ϕSZUT-01, ϕSZIP-01, ϕSZIP-02) as research samples. Data collected included bacterial growth kinetics, observation of lysis zones, and phage stability at various pH levels and storage temperatures. Data analysis was conducted descriptively, followed by one-way ANOVA at a 95% confidence level to determine differences among treatments. Three two-phage cocktails were formulated and tested, with all treatments consistently demonstrating strong lytic activity, evidenced by large and clear plaques. Lysis kinetics, monitored through OD600 measurements, confirmed rapid bacterial elimination beginning approximately 180 minutes post-infection. Notably, the bacterial consortium exhibited resistance to the positive control (Chloramphenicol), reinforcing the need for alternative interventions. Additionally, the phage cocktail demonstrated excellent stability, maintaining infectious titers across a broad pH range and during storage at both refrigerated (4°C) and room temperatures (21°C). This high stability supports its potential applicability in food safety systems and resilience in gastrointestinal environments. Overall, the bacteriophage cocktail demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against a consortium of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, as evidenced by the formation of clear lysis zones and exhibited high stability, supporting its potential application as a non-antibiotic alternative for controlling foodborne diseases.