## 6 Conclusions and Future Perspectives  
In the current era of antimicrobial resistance and the pursuit of alternative methods to combat _E. coli_ O157:H7 infections, there has been a renewed interest in phage research. This is evident in the accumulated evidence suggesting that phage application is an effective method of biocontrol of foodborne bacterial pathogens on fresh produce and other foods. Phages has been used as a natural antimicrobial method to reduce _E. coli_ O157:H7 from the food supply. Phage-based medications have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in certain countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Israel for the treatment of E. coli strains, including the use of various phage cocktails. Numerous studies have also produced novel phages and showed their effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of _E. coli_ O157:H7 in food products without changing the organoleptic properties. They have also been proven to reduce _E. coli_ O157:H7 in vivo through the use of mice. Ongoing research involves the construction of phage libraries, thereby enabling the use of phage cocktails to inhibit phage mutant strains, increase host range, and increase infectivity. Nevertheless, the European Union remains concerned about the utilization of these products due to the limited availability of safety data and comprehensive research on the potential consequences of phage discharge into the environment. One of the most important aspects of creating One Health approaches to lowering health risks for people, agricultural systems, and natural ecosystems is the effective use of \"safe\" phages as a biocontrol agent in combating pathogens like _E. coli_ O157:H7 and resolving the issue of antibiotic resistance in preharvest livestock environments. In order to advance the development of novel antibacterial strategies, there is a need to conduct further investigation into the phage properties that make them safe and suitable as a biocontrol and the underlying mechanism through which phages can effectively inhibit the expression of host genes. The utilization of advanced technologies like WGS to carefully scrutinize and characterize phage genomes presents a solution to this concern. This, in turn, will improve both patient care and infection control strategies, ultimately leading to a decrease in the incidence of severe _E. coli_ O157:H7 infections. This review highlights the renewed hope provided by modern technologies in combating _E. coli_ O157:H7 infections, reducing the persistence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, and an enhanced potential in improving livestock production. These further provide an indication of increased food security and safety, and thus a significant contribution towards achieving the goals of the highly integrated \"One health\" approach.  
Conceptualization, B.O.O. and C.N.A.; methodology, B.O.O., H.A.N., P.K.M. and C.N.A.; validation, B.O.O., I.D.P., H.A.N., P.K.M. and C.N.A.; investigation, B.O.O. writing--original draft preparation, B.O.O.; writing--review and editing, B.O.O., D.J.A., T.O.A., I.D.P., H.A.N., P.K.M. and C.N.A.; supervision, I.D.P., H.A.N., P.K.M. and C.N.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), grant number 121802.  
Not applicable.  
The authors would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and the department of Microbiology, School of Biological Sciences, North-West University, South Africa for their support.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.