Safety of bacterial biocontrol agents and perspectives on future development

6 Safety of bacterial biocontrol agents and perspectives on future development 

The potential advantages of biocontrol agents compared to antibiotics were discussed by Moriarty (1998), with most attention directed towards the production of inhibitory substances by the beneficial bacterial strains. The possibility of selecting for biocontrol-resistant pathogens must not be underestimated, and it is particularly important to search for strains that express diverse antagonistic properties that may lower the risk of resistance. For example, the ability of some bacteria to adhere to the intestinal epithelium may inhibit the intestinal infection route common to many pathogens (Evelyn, 1996 Gatesoupe, 1999). 

---