This project will develop and test the effectiveness of a tailored “cocktail” of bacteriophages in preventing or delaying the growth of bacteria which spoil langoustines and reduce product quality.
£293,731.61
18 months
Estimates from the United Nations indicate that around 35% of all harvested seafood is lost or wasted following harvest. Therefore, a crucial approach to the sustainability of seafood systems is the development of innovative solutions to extend the shelf-life of highly perishable seafood products.
In this project, we tested the use of phage technology for shelf-life extension in a key UK seafood product, the Norway lobster or langoustine (Nephrops norvegicus). Phages are viruses that can kill bacteria in a species-specific manner. For this project, we identified the main bacteria responsible for the spoilage of langoustines using traditional (culture based) and sequencing approaches (16S amplicon sequencing) and we isolated and partially characterised 38 phages infecting the most common spoilage bacteria species. Following this initial characterisation, we investigated whether the use of a phage-cocktail could extend the shelf-life of this valuable seafood product.
The approach was successful in delaying some key spoilage related parameters and opens up a unique opportunity to further refine this approach for future commercialisation.
University of Stirling