The additive may be safely used as an antimicrobial agent specific for Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in accordance with the following conditions:

Identity. (1) The additive consists of a mixture of equal proportions of six different individually purified lytic-type (lacking lysogenic activity) bacteriophages (phages) specific against L. monocytogenes.

Each phage is deposited at, and assigned an identifying code by, a scientifically-recognized culture collection center, and is made available to FDA upon request.

The additive is produced from one or more cell cultures of L. monocytogenes in a safe and suitable nutrient medium.

Specifications. (1) The additive achieves a positive lytic result (OD600 ≤0.06) when tested against any of the following L. monocytogenes isolates available from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC): ATCC 35152 (serogroup 1/2a), ATCC 19118 (serogroup 4b), and ATCC 15313 (serogroup 1/2b). The analytical method for determining the potency of the additive entitled “Determination of Potency of LMP-102 TM,” dated October 9, 2003, and printed by Intralytix, Inc., is incorporated by reference. The Director of the Office of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. You may obtain a copy from the Office of Food Additive Safety (HFS-200), Food and Drug Administration's Main Library, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 2, Third Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-2039, or you may examine a copy at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Library, 5001 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20740, or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

The mean phage titer of each monophage in the additive is 1 × 109 plaque forming units (PFU)/ml. The analytical method for determining phage titer entitled “Method to Determine Lytic Activity/Phage Titer,” dated November 6, 2001, and printed by Intralytix, Inc., is incorporated by reference. Copies are available at locations cited in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

The phages present in the preparation must not contain a functional portion of any of the toxin-encoding sequences described in 40 CFR 725.421(d). No sequences derived from genes encoding bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA are present in the complete genomic sequence of the phages.

L. monocytogenes toxin, listeriolysin O (LLO), is not greater than 5 hemolytic units (HU)/ml. The analytical method for determining LLO entitled “Quantitation of Listeriolysin O Levels in LMP-102 TM,” dated September 27, 2004, and printed by Intralytix, Inc., is incorporated by reference. Copies are available at locations cited in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

The additive is negative for L. monocytogenes. The modified version of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's method for determining L. monocytogenes entitled “LMP-102 TM Listeria monocytogenes Sterility Testing,” dated May 24, 2004, and printed by Intralytix, Inc., is incorporated by reference. Copies are available at locations cited in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

The additive is negative for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria capable of growing in commonly used microbiological media (e.g., Luria-Bertani (LB) medium), including Escherichia coli, Salmonella species and coagulase-positive Staphylococci, as determined by the “Method to Determine Microbial Contamination,” dated July 11, 2003, and printed by Intralytix, Inc., is incorporated by reference. Copies are available at locations cited in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

Total organic carbon (TOC) is less than or equal to 36 mg/kg. The analytical method for determining TOC entitled “Determination of Total Organic Carbon by Automated Analyzer,” dated March 30, 2001, and printed by Intralytix, Inc., is incorporated by reference. Copies are available at locations cited in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

Conditions of use. The additive is used in accordance with current good manufacturing practice to control L. monocytogenes by direct application to meat and poultry products that comply with the ready-to-eat definition in 9 CFR 430.1. Current good manufacturing practice is consistent with direct spray application of the additive at a rate of approximately 1 mL of the additive per 500 cm2 product surface area.