Evaluation of aqueous Ozone as a method to combat multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus tainting cattle meat sold in Wasit marketplaces

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of ozonation treatment (1/2 ppm for up to 30 min at 3-7 centigrade) on the persistence of multidrug-resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MDR S. aureus) tainting cattle meat.
Design: Descriptive study
Procedure: Nine testers of cattle's meat including imported (n = 3) and locally slaughtered (n = 6), which were stored at -18 centigrade and accepted positive for MDR S. aureus were subjected to aqueous ozone (O₃) as 1/2 ppm for 15 and 30 min.
Results: The results presented that after ozonation treatment (1/2 ppm at 3-7 centigrade), the whole testers which free from MDR S. aureus were 22.2% & 55.6% for 15 & 30 min, respectively. Additionally, the antimicrobial effectiveness of aqueous O₃ as 1/2 ppm on the decline of MDR S. aureus level (log₁₀CFU/ml) was measured against three contaminated testers of cattle's meat. The outcomes publicized that afterward handlings, the total decline of bacterial counts was 2-3 log₁₀ (CFU/ml) after 30 min at 3-7 centigrade, this decline is extremely noteworthy from the opinion of public health. The effectiveness of aqueous O₃ (0.5 ppm/3-7 centigrade) with carcass drip to MDR S. aureus was assessed and the results displayed that 77.8% and 100% of the testers of aqueous O₃ were negative after ozonation treatments for 15 and 30 min, respectively.
Conclusion: O₃ as 1/2 ppm is exceedingly active in dropping the amount of MDR S. aureus contaminated testers and this decline augmented as prolonged experience time to ozonation treatment. On the other hand, O₃ was highly effective in eradicating MDR S. aureus even in the presence of high levels of organic materials. These outcomes designated O₃ as a substitute promising approach to decline meat contagion with foodborne microorganisms for instance MDR S. aureus.