Virus Sprays: The New Food Additive

So

1. what happens to the bacteria once it is done eating the target bacteria?
2. what happens if the genetic engineering increases the chance for the bacteria to mutate?
3. what happens if they mutate, and start eating other things besides the target bacteria?

I am more and more inclined to eat organic...

"it is perhaps another reason to avoid processed meats"

If that is what it takes to reduce consumption of processed meats, I am all for it. The "gross-out" factor is clearly there, at least for me.

Having said that, IF 'Intralytix' is safe, it could be a good idea to use it. Salmonela alone kills six hundred Americans every year.

Food irradiation seemed promising, it was approved by FDA and USDA some time ago, but because of even greater "gross-out" affect, it did not go anywhere, not that I am complaining about it.

Wow, this is really cool. I never gave prays a second thought but you really have pointed out some very interesting thing about virus sprays. I will have to cut down on process meats as I eat tons all day long.

It's not a bacteria, it's a virus. Viruses can't live on their own and these types of viruses are extremely valuable. I'm surprised the food industry hasn't come up with this sooner. Bacteria have a very very simple genome...their DNA is usually only a couple thousand base pairs long and it's not coiled so viruses can easily assimilate into them and destroy them. Once the virus kills the bacteria, it dies too, but it makes replicate viruses that can go on to find other bacteria. When it runs out of bacteria to eat, it'll die pretty quickly. It's actually a much safer way to kill bacteria rather than preserve the heck out of food to make it "unhospitable" for bacteria (and making it not so healthy for us as well)

There are some other conciderable risks with this virus food additive such as:
What branch of the FDA is even qualified to govern this virus cultivation process? The CDC knows viruses, not the FDA.
What happens when (WHEN, not if) these viruses mutate to new host cells, likely human or friendly bacteria in the human colon? Call the CDC?
Allowing a private corporation control the viruses that are being sprayed on pre-processed food that is ready for consumption seems like a national security risk. What if some terrorist get employed there and dumps some smallpox virus into the mix? I hope the CDC didn't eat at subway that week!!!

> When it runs out of bacteria to eat, it'll die pretty quickly.

This is wrong. Virus particles are very simple and do not metabolise whilst inactive in the way a cell does. That is, they do not require food (bacteria in this case) to survive, only to reproduce. It may be possible to wash off the virus (that's probably what the process involves), and I suspect that's why it's sprayed on the surface, but I doubt every single one of the particles are removed every time. I'd be interested in a link to a description of the process (a patent description?).

The virus is technically a phage that targets L. monocytogenes. Phage technology has been around for ages and is a very well-proven method. If the residual virus particles are left on the surface of the food, no major consequences would arise since the virus lacks the ability to penetrate cells that aren't L. mono, making it harmless.

Why wouldn't they let consumers know which meats contain it and which don't? I think that is crazy!