Press Release - After a Year of Salmonella and Listeria Outbreaks, SK8 Biotech Says U.S. Processors Are Missing an Intervention Layer
SK8 Biotechnologies’ precision bacteriophage processing aids target Salmonella and Listeria, the pathogens behind 2026's egg, produce and dairy recalls.
NEWMARKET, Ontario — September 3, 2026 — SK8 Biotechnologies Inc., a leading developer of bacteriophage driven food safety solutions called on food manufacturers and processors to add targeted phage interventions to their pathogen control programs. This follows after a 2026 outbreak season that has stretched across eggs, fresh produce, dairy and sprouts.
In July, a multistate Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to shell eggs sickened 98 people across 17 states and triggered the recall of more than 1.5 million dozen eggs. In August, Salmonella Javiana in fresh jalapeños moved through the foodservice supply chain and forced recalls across national retail and restaurant brands.
"Every one of these outbreaks happened at facilities that had a sanitation program, a HACCP plan and an environmental monitoring schedule," said Tyler Stephens, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, SK8 Biotechnologies. "Those programs are necessary and they are not the problem. We’re just reaching the limits of current food safety chemical-based interventions that have become ineffective against new Salmonella strains"
A different mechanism, not a stronger chemical
Bacteriophages are naturally occurring microbes that infect and lyse specific bacteria. They do not act on other bacteria, on the food matrix, or on the people handling it. SK8 Biotech’s products are formulated as processing aids applied at defined points in the production chain.
Unlike broad-spectrum antimicrobial interventions, anti Salmonella and Listeria phages leave starter cultures and beneficial flora intact, which matters in fermented and cultured products. They function at refrigeration temperatures. And because they are self-limiting, phage populations decline once the host bacteria are gone.
SK8's portfolio addresses the pathogens driving the 2026 outbreak record directly:
• VAM-S, targeting Salmonella, for poultry, egg and processing applications. VAM-S is the subject of a U.S. FDA GRAS notice (GRN 917).
• VAM-L, targeting Listeria monocytogenes, developed for dairy and meat processors. Currently awaiting USDA regulatory feedback, due in October 2026.
• VAM-E, targeting E. coli, currently in development and scaling toward commercialization.
Efficacy in commercial validation
In a commercial processing trial, treated carcasses received VAM-S by electrostatic spray at approximately 1×10⁸ PFU/mL for 20 seconds. After, both control and test samples were rinsed according to FSIS Directives. Rinsates were enumerated by a third-party laboratory. Control carcasses carried Salmonella loads of 2.33 to 4.91 log CFU/carcass. The level of Salmonella for the treated group fell below the detectable level, with a reduction of at least 2.00 log CFU/carcass. Full trial reports are available under NDA.
"We are not asking anyone to completely overhaul their current food safety protocols, chemicals still take care of general spoilage bacteria." said Kenneth Tan, CEO, SK8 Biotechnologies. "But adding bacteriophage interventions takes care of specific bacteria, like Salmonella and Listeria, which have become resistant to chemicals and cause illness and recalls.”
About SK8 Biotechnologies Inc.
SK8 Biotechnologies develops bacteriophage-driven food safety solutions for the entire food supply chain, from farmers and processors to retailers. Its phage solutions are processing aids that specifically target and reduce Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli. SK8's collaborative approach is designed so that phage implementation strengthens existing food safety programs while supporting regulatory compliance, processing efficiency and environmental sustainability. The company is headquartered in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.