A Effectiveness of ozone pasteurization compared to heat treatment in reducing microbial and mold contamination in honey

This study investigates ozone pasteurization as an alternative to heat pasteurization for reducing microbial and mold contamination in honey. Five honey samples with identical compositions were tested: a control, heat treatments at 63°C, 65°C, and 68°C, and ozone treatment at ambient temperature. Mold and bacterial proliferation were monitored over 30 days. Pour Plate analysis showed that ozone treatment significantly reduced mold growth compared to heat treatments. The lowest number of mold colonies was observed in the ozone-treated samples, while the highest was in the 68°C heat-treated samples. Microbial counts were lowest with ozone treatment and at 65°C heat treatment. Ozone pasteurization is an effective and practical method for reducing microbiological contamination in honey.