In the ongoing war against pathogens in meat and poultry plants, bacteriophages are becoming a potentially potent weapon.

As consumers increasingly demand antibiotic-free meat and poultry (and processors look to avoid antimicrobial resistance), alternative treatment and disinfection methods such as bacteriophages should become more popular in food and medicine.

Bacteriophages have been the next big thing for several years. Will this be the year phages break through for critical acceptance?