Food spoilage is a significant global issue. Around 931 million tonnes of food goes to waste each year, with 61% of this waste coming from households, 26% from food service, and 13% from retail. This waste is linked to between 8-10% of global carbon emissions. The UN has set a target to halve food waste by 2030. Food spoilage burdens waste management systems, increases food insecurity, and contributes to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. An estimated 600 million people, almost 1 in 10 globally, fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 420,000 die every year. The need for solutions is thus urgent. With 155 million people caught up in food crises of varying severity, reducing food spoilage will have significant social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Phages can be used to control bacterial pathogens from the beginning to the end of the food production process. They can be used to combat bacterial infections in livestock, prevent the formation of biofilms on the surface of equipment used during food production, and extend the shelf life of products by destroying any pathogenic bacteria present that may spoil the food and lead to infection. Phages can be also used to selectively inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of animals, reducing the risk of food-poisoning outbreaks.