Intralytix
Encyclopedia
Intralytix is a biotechnology
company based in Baltimore, Maryland. Intralytix specializes in bacteriophage
-based products used to control bacterial pathogens in environmental, food processing, and medical settings.
.
Listeriosis is a serious disease with a high rate of mortality in susceptible individuals. It is almost exclusively contracted by consuming contaminated food. Since the L. monocytogenes bacteria
are omnipresent in nature, even the most thorough hygiene concepts fail to guarantee that food products are free of listeria.
Bacteriophages are among the best studied organisms in the natural world. This is because their molecular biology
is relatively simple. Many molecular principles were first studied in bacteriophages prior to being found in higher organisms. Bacteriophages are ubiquitous. High numbers can be found in seawater and also in fermented foods such as yogurt or cheese. Bacteriophages are extremely specific in the bacteria
they recognize. The recognition is often limited to specific strains of one species
, in rare cases several strains of the same species
or genus
are recognized. With this fact in mind their potential in fighting unwanted bacteria
has recently received increased attention.
ListShield is aqueous, phage preparation containing six listeria-specific bacteriophages designed to attack a very broad spectrum of Listeria monocytogenes strains.
approved Intralytix's ListShield for direct application on foods. It was also awarded Environmental Protection Agency approval for environmental uses, as a method decontaminating non-food contact surfaces in food processing facilities. Intralytix was the first company to receive approval from the FDA and USDA for a bacteriophage
based product for food-safety applications.
This mixture is sprayed on food or surfaces related to food production. If listeria is present in the food, the bacteria
will be infected by the bacteriophages. This results in replication inside the bacteria
, ultimately ending in the bacteria
being killed. It does not alter the general composition, taste, aroma, or color of foods. Field trials demonstrated the solution to be 100% effective in the elimination of Listeria monocytogenes".
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company based in Baltimore, Maryland. Intralytix specializes in bacteriophage
Bacteriophage
A bacteriophage is any one of a number of viruses that infect bacteria. They do this by injecting genetic material, which they carry enclosed in an outer protein capsid...
-based products used to control bacterial pathogens in environmental, food processing, and medical settings.
ListShield
ListShield is an Intralytix product that is applied to food for the prevention of listeriosis by killing strains of food-borne pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes bacteriaBacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
.
Listeriosis is a serious disease with a high rate of mortality in susceptible individuals. It is almost exclusively contracted by consuming contaminated food. Since the L. monocytogenes bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
are omnipresent in nature, even the most thorough hygiene concepts fail to guarantee that food products are free of listeria.
Bacteriophages are among the best studied organisms in the natural world. This is because their molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
is relatively simple. Many molecular principles were first studied in bacteriophages prior to being found in higher organisms. Bacteriophages are ubiquitous. High numbers can be found in seawater and also in fermented foods such as yogurt or cheese. Bacteriophages are extremely specific in the bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
they recognize. The recognition is often limited to specific strains of one species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, in rare cases several strains of the same species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
or genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
are recognized. With this fact in mind their potential in fighting unwanted bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
has recently received increased attention.
ListShield is aqueous, phage preparation containing six listeria-specific bacteriophages designed to attack a very broad spectrum of Listeria monocytogenes strains.
FDA and EPA Approval
In August 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
approved Intralytix's ListShield for direct application on foods. It was also awarded Environmental Protection Agency approval for environmental uses, as a method decontaminating non-food contact surfaces in food processing facilities. Intralytix was the first company to receive approval from the FDA and USDA for a bacteriophage
Bacteriophage
A bacteriophage is any one of a number of viruses that infect bacteria. They do this by injecting genetic material, which they carry enclosed in an outer protein capsid...
based product for food-safety applications.
This mixture is sprayed on food or surfaces related to food production. If listeria is present in the food, the bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
will be infected by the bacteriophages. This results in replication inside the bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
, ultimately ending in the bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
being killed. It does not alter the general composition, taste, aroma, or color of foods. Field trials demonstrated the solution to be 100% effective in the elimination of Listeria monocytogenes".