In vitro effect of ozone on the growth of Aspergillus spp. and Salmonella spp. isolated from poultry, poultry products, and related environments

Authors: Javier E. Margulis, Silvana C. Gómez, and Dante J. Bueno

Ger. J. Microbiol. 2026. vol. 6, Iss. 2 pp:58-65
Doi: https://doi.org/10.51585/gjm.2026.2.0065

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Abstract:

The antimicrobial efficacy of airborne ozone was assessed in vitro against key poultry-associated fungi and bacteria. The study included five Aspergillus strains (four Aspergillus fumigatus and one Aspergillus oryzae) and five Salmonella strains representing distinct serovars. Standardized concentrations of each microorganism were inoculated onto agar plates and exposed to ozone at 60 g/h for up to 20 minutes, with a headspace volume of approximately 50.90 cm³ above the agar medium—susceptibility to ozone varied by strain. Aspergillus species demonstrated greater resistance to ozone treatment compared to Salmonella species. Fungal spore count reductions ranged from 11% to 91%, depending on the strain. Five minutes of ozone exposure significantly reduced spore numbers in two of the five fungal strains, while the remaining strains required ten minutes to achieve significant reductions. For most fungal strains, no further significant reduction was observed beyond 10 minutes of exposure. In contrast, Salmonella species exhibited marked reductions after 5 minutes of ozone exposure, with most bacterial strains showing complete (100%) reduction after 10 minutes. Salmonella serovar Agona exhibited the highest resistance to ozone when cultured on tryptic soy agar. Ozone treatment also resulted in high levels of sublethal injury in Salmonella strains, with injury rates ranging from 97% to 100%. These results indicate that a minimum ozone exposure time of 5 minutes for Salmonella species and 10 minutes for Aspergillus species is necessary to achieve substantial microbial reductions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential of high-dose, short-duration ozone applications and highlight the need to control key parameters to ensure reproducibility and scalability in practical applications.

Keywords:

Ozone, Aspergillus, Salmonella, poultry

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