A GRAS Bacteriophage for Listeria Reduction in Food Processing — Without the Chemical Trade-Offs

Controlling Listeria monocytogenes in food processing shouldn't require choosing between product quality and pathogen reduction — or between worker safety and effective sanitation. VAM-L, SK8 Biotech's GRAS-affirmed bacteriophage solution, eliminates that trade-off.

99%+ Listeria Reduction. Proven.

VAM-L is a highly purified bacteriophage preparation that targets and destroys L. monocytogenes on contact. In independent food challenge studies, VAM-L achieved 99% or greater Listeria reduction across five commercially critical food matrices:

Eggs - 99.96% reduction, 3.12 log reduction

Sausauge - 99.89% reduction, 2.98 log reduction

Romain Lettuce - 99.76% reduction, 2.66 log reduction

Smoked Salmon - 99.73% reduction, 2.66 log reduction

Raw Beef - 99.52% reduction, 2.47 log reduction

All results are statistically significant and replicated in triplicate using clinically relevant L. monocytogenes strains (serotypes 4B, 1/2B, and 1/2a).

GRAS-Affirmed for Direct Food Contact

VAM-L carries GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) affirmation under FDA standards — supporting direct food contact use, simplifying HACCP documentation, and providing a defensible foundation for customer audits and export compliance. For food processors building or updating their Listeria control programs, GRAS status removes significant regulatory friction.

Safe for Workers. No Acids, No Fumes.

Unlike lactic acid, peracetic acid, or chlorine-based Listeria interventions, VAM-L is non-acidic and generates no chemical fumes or irritant aerosols. Bacteriophages are naturally occurring biological entities with no mechanism for infecting mammalian cells and no toxic byproducts. Workers applying VAM-L by spray require no specialized PPE beyond standard hygiene practices — reducing occupational health risk, compliance burden, and the hidden costs of chemical handling on the processing floor.

No Texture Change. No Sensory Impact.

Because VAM-L's mechanism of action is entirely biological — phages target Listeria cell receptors specifically — the food matrix itself is unaffected. No protein denaturation, no pH disruption, no surface bleaching. Meat texture, color, and sensory properties are preserved.

Processing Aid, No Ingredient Changes

Bacteriophages require living Listeria cells to replicate. Once the target population is reduced, the phage population declines naturally — no chemical persistence, no CIP interference, no downstream process impact. VAM-L delivers its full Listeria reduction immediately on application, then clears itself.

VAM-L brings together the performance food processors need with the worker safety, regulatory simplicity, and product quality protection the industry demands.

Contact SK8 Biotech to request a technical data package or consultation.