Characterization and application of a novel phage CC_R7 as a biocontrol agent in chicken meat.

is a major foodborne pathogen, commonly transmitted through poultry. The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains due to antibiotic overuse in poultry farming highlights the need for monitoring resistance patterns and exploring alternative control strategies, such as bacteriophage application. This study examined the antimicrobial resistance patterns in () and (). Additionally, a novel lytic phage CC_R7 was isolated, characterized, and subjected to complete genomic analysis. The phage CC_R7 application was evaluated for biofilm removal under slaughterhouse conditions and as a biocontrol agent in chicken meat. The results showed that the resistance rate in was higher than in The phage CC_R7 has a genome size of 180,566 bp, and no virulent gene was found. It has a broad host range, killing 60 % of and 27.2 % of tested strains with excellent adsorption, a short latent period of 40 min, and a high burst size of 119 virions. The phage remained stable across temperatures (4 °C-50 °C) and pH levels (4-10). Moreover, phage CC_R7 has the potential to inhibit biofilm formation and reduce contamination in chicken meat by 1.2 log/g. Therefore, phage CC_R7 has unique characteristics to combat multidrug-resistant strains and can be used as a feed additive for biocontrol in food.