Eating virus? This may seem as a bad idea. We connect the word virus with bad things, like HIV, ebola and common cold. There is, however, a way we can use viruses to protect us from bacteria.
A bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria cells. The virus take control of the bacteria metabolism and uses it to multiply itself. When the virus has multiplied itself, the bacteria cell will crack (go into lysis) and die. The new viruses will spread and infect new bacteria cells. When there are no bacteria left the virus will be inactivated and it is harmless to humans.
Bacteriophages are very selective, they infect only one certain type of bacteria. Because of that we are able to use a specific bacteriophage to kill a specific bacteria.
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has approved one type of bacteriophage to be used in food, to protect the food from pathogen (bad) bacteria. In US there are many bacteriophages in several types of food.
I think using bacteriophages could be a good and effective way to protect our food from pathogen bacteria.