Problem addressed
Our developments tackle three major global challenges:
- Antimicrobial resistance, a growing threat affecting human health, animal health, livestock and aquaculture, agriculture, food safety, and the environment.
- Transmission of zoonotic diseases through the consumption of contaminated food and water.
- The increasing prevalence of emerging pathogens, driven by climate change, which alters microbial ecosystems.
These challenges compromise food safety, the sustainability of production systems, and public health, and require new control strategies that overcome the limitations of current technologies.
What we do and how we do it
At AZTI, we develop natural, highly specific, effective, and sustainable phage-based tools for the biocontrol of pathogens and other unwanted bacteria, without affecting beneficial microorganisms present in the microbiota of food, the host, or the environment.
Our approach integrates:
- Isolation and advanced characterization of new phages
- Design of tailored formulations
- Predictive models of phage–bacteria interactions
- Stability studies under real conditions
- In vitro and in vivo efficacy studies
- Efficacy and safety testing in relevant environments
- Evaluation of synergies with other antimicrobials and processing technologies
- Close collaboration with end-users, as well as with biotechnology companies for technology transfer
Key benefits
- High efficacy and specificity against target bacteria, including multidrug-resistant and biofilm-forming strains
- Preservation of beneficial microbiota in food, the host, and the environment
- No impact on the organoleptic properties of food
- Natural, biodegradable solution with no chemical residues
- Versatile application in primary production, processing environments, and food products
- Compatibility with conventional control methods
- Reduction in antibiotic use, contributing to mitigating antimicrobial resistance
- Prevention and/or treatment of infections in primary production sectors
- Control of zoonotic bacteria throughout the agri-food chain
- Reduction in the spread of resistance and transmission of resistant bacteria to consumers
- Solutions tailored to real industry needs, with high potential for technology transfer and industrial application
