Table 4.

Results of the time-kill test. Values are expressed as means ± standard deviation.

Time	Treatment	C. perfringens (Log CFU/mL)	C. botulinum (Log CFU/mL)	C. difficile (Log CFU/mL)
T0	CTRL	4.76 ± 0.18 A	4.04 ± 0.05 A	4.58 ± 0.14 A
	SPEA	4.76 ± 0.18 D	4.04 ± 0.05 D	4.58 ± 0.37 D
	SPEB	4.76 ± 0.18 E	4.04 ± 0.05 D	4.58 ± 0.37 E
T2	CTRL	4.59 ± 0.14 A	4.28 ± 0.15 abA	4.59 ± 0.03 A
	SPEA	4.80 ± 0.25 D	4.08 ± 0.06 aD	4.41 ± 0.18 D
	SPEB	4.54 ± 0.17 E	4.49 ± 0.08 bE	4.36 ± 0.11 E
T4	CTRL	4.75 ± 0.21 bA	4.32 ± 0.20 A	4.64 ± 0.10 A
	SPEA	4.59 ± 0.34 bD	4.26 ± 0.17 D	4.36 ± 0.26 D
	SPEB	4.08 ± 0.05 aD	4.46 ± 0.19 E	4.45 ± 0.18 E
T6	CTRL	4.98 ± 0.13 cA	4.40 ± 0.11 bA	4.94 ± 0.08 cAB
	SPEA	4.23 ± 0.27 bD	4.04 ± 0.05 aD	4.23 ± 0.11 bD
	SPEB	3.70 ± 0.27 aD	3.86 ± 0.19 aD	3.90 ± 0.12 aD
T8	CTRL	4.91 ± 0.12 cA	4.72 ± 0.16 cB	4.90 ± 0.07 cAB
	SPEA	3.52 ± 0.32 bC	3.26 ± 0.27 bC	3.46 ± 0.10 bC
	SPEB	2.30 ± 0.10 aC	2.32 ± 0.17 aB	2.45 ± 0.15 C
T12	CTRL	5.08 ± 0.08 cA	5.43 ± 0.17 bC	5.11 ± 0.08 cB
	SPEA	2.26 ± 0.25 bB	2.08 ± 0.11 aB	2.32 ± 0.09 bB
	SPEB	1.80 ± 0.15 aB	1.90 ± 0.07 aB	1.60 ± 0.13 aB
T24	CTRL	7.46 ± 0.09 bB	7.11 ± 0.19 bD	7.32 ± 0.17 bC
	SPEA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA
	SPEB	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA
T48	CTRL	7.54 ± 0.36 bB	7.56 ± 0.16 bE	7.54 0.28 bC
	SPEA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA
	SPEB	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA	−0.50 ± 0.00 aA
SEM		0.111	0.077	0.095
p value	Time	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
	Treatment	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
	T×T	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001

Considering each of the tested micro-organisms, different letters for the same sampling time (a,b,c) or for the same treatment during sampling times (A,B,C,D,E) denote statistical difference (p < 0.05). SPEA = saffron petals extract A obtained by maceration under magnetic stirring (400 rpm); SPEB = saffron petals extract B obtained by under ultrasonic bath; CTRL = growth control.