Good news for the meat lovers is the reported approval of U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a virus spray developed by the Baltimore-based Intralytix, which claims to target the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes present in cold cuts of meats and hot dogs. Facts from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides that the bacteria Listeria had been the cause of 500 deaths a year due to septicemia, meningitis (or meningoencephalitis), encephalitis, and intrauterine or cervical infections in pregnant women rising out of the bacterial infection.
A clinical trial of this virus spray has proven that this mixture of six viruses consisting of bacteriophages or bacteria killers, when used as a food additive does not affect the flavor, texture and color of meat. The quantity of the additive, its purification standards and other safety measures should be strictly guarded by FDA in case Intralytix does not patent the virus spray and distributes the formulae to other agencies. However, this virus spray is restrictive against the most prevalent bacterial infection caused by E. coli and other bacteria.
