Table 4.

Overview of ozone technology use in microbiological inactivation and its effects on the safety characteristics of meat products.

Ozone Application and Conservation Conditions	Produce and Targets	Ozone Treatment Effects in Microbiology	Ozone Treatment Effects on Physical, Chemical, and Nutritional Qualities	References
Gaseous ozone at 100 ppm and 1000 ppm; 10 min. The samples were then stored at 25 °C; 46–49 h.	Microbial control of ozone treatment on pork meat.	Ozone treatment greatly suppressed microbial activity. However, ozone treatment failed to effectively reduce the number of microorganisms over the 46–49 h incubation period.	/	[52]
Gaseous ozone at 154 × 10−6 kg/m3 (72 ppm); 3 and 24 h; 0 and 4 °C.	Ozone effects on AMHM and E.coli counts in culture media and in beef samples. Ozone effects on beef quality properties.	Gaseous-ozone-treated E. coli media culture after 3 or 24 h, at 0 °C and 4 °C caused a total inactivation of E. coli. The highest microbial inhibition was at 0 °C, 24 h exposure, producing a log decrease of 0.7 and 2.0 in E. coli and total AMHM counts, respectively.	Ozone treatment for 3 h and at both 0 °C and 4 °C reduced AMHM and E. coli counts, without changing the colour or producing rancidity in beef; 24 h treatments failed to significantly reduce microbial counts without affecting beef surface colour and rancidity.	[98]
Gaseous ozone at 0.01 kg/m3; up to 8 h, samples were withdrawn at 2 h intervals; 22.0 ± 0.8 °C; 21.6 ± 0.5% RH.	Ozone effects on AMB and Enterobacteriaceae counts, and on physicochemical properties of turkey breast muscle.	Gaseous ozone treatment for 6 and 8 h, reduced up to 3 logs of AMB counts. Ozone reduced around 1.0–1.5 log (2 and 4 h) and 2.3 and 2.0 log (6 and 8 h) Enterobacteriaceae counts. The yeast-mould count reductions were 0.9 log (2 h) and 1.7 log (4 h). Longer time treatments showed no further inactivation of yeasts and moulds.	Ozone increased carbonyl contents and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Ozone caused significant colour and pH value change in the samples. Both water holding capacity and cooking yield of treated samples increased significantly.	[59]
Gaseous ozone 218 mg/m3; A: 2 min ozone pulses + 30 min no ozone intervals, for 3 h in total; B: 2 min ozone pulses + 30 min intervals no ozone, for 5 h in total; C: Repeated sample B after 24 h; D: Gaseous ozone 276–283 mg/m3. pulses were 5, 10, 20, and 40 min + 30 min no ozone intervals, for 5 h in total. Treatment D (5 min ozone pulse; D5) samples were stored at 4 ± 0.5 °C. D5 samples had repeat inoculation with L. monocytogenes; 4 ± 0.5 °C and 10 ± 0.5°C.	Ozone effects on the physicochemical characteristics and food safety of beef.	In A, B, and C, heterotrophic microbial count reductions were between 0.5 and 2 logs. In D, all microorganisms > 1 log reduction. Ozonation intensity showed a significant effect in reducing the counts of mesophilic bacteria, LAB, enterobacteria, moulds, and yeasts. At 4 °C storage, control beef samples (4-day shelf life) showed higher microbial counts than D5 samples (8 day shelf life). D5 showed an immediate around 1 log reduction in L. monocytogenes counts. During both 4 °C and 10 °C storages, up to 16 days, L. monocytogenes counts in ozonated beef were significantly lower than in control samples.	During refrigerated storage at 4 °C the colour parameters presented no significant differences (p > 0.05) when compared with fresh and ozonated beef samples.	[99]
Aqueous ozone at 1% and water bath; 7 and 15 min; 7.2 °C.	Antimicrobial, colour, and odour effects of ozone on ground beef.	Aqueous ozone (15 min) reduced coliforms, S. typhimurium, and aerobic plate counts; 7 min treatment effectively reduced S. typhimurium and aerobic plate counts.	Aqueous-ozone-treated ground beef became lighter. Minimal effects on colour or odour characteristics by aqueous ozone treatment.	[40]
Aqueous ozone at 6.00 ± 0.25 mg/L. The samples were packed singly in linear low-density polyethylene and vacuum packed and stored at 4 °C.	Ozone effects on the complexity and dynamics of the potential active microbiota of beefsteaks, and their associated volatilome.	Aqueous ozone was not able to reduce the initial microbial counts of the beefsteak samples.	Aqueous ozone was incapable of modifying the microbiota composition, dynamics and the related volatilome to any great extent during chilled vacuum packaging storage.	[79]