Elimination of Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms by Ozone, Chlorine, and Hydrogen Peroxide

This study evaluated the efficacy of ozone, chlorine, and hydrogen peroxide to destroy Listeria monocytogenes planktonic cells and biofilms of two test strains, Scott A and 10403S. L. monocytogenes was sensitive to ozone (O₃), chlorine, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Planktonic cells of strain Scott A were completely destroyed by exposure to 0.25 ppm O₃ (8.29-log reduction, CFU per milliliter). Ozone's destruction of Scott A increased when the concentration was increased, with complete elimination at 4.00 ppm O₃ (8.07-log reduction, CFU per chip). A 16-fold increase in sanitizer concentration was required to destroy biofilm cells of L. monocytogenes versus planktonic cells of strain Scott A. Strain 10403S required an ozone concentration of 1.00 ppm to eliminate planktonic cells (8.16-log reduction, CFU per milliliter). Attached cells of the same strain were eliminated at a concentration of 4.00 ppm O₃ (7.47-log reduction, CFU per chip). At 100 ppm chlorine at 20°C, the number of planktonic cells of L. monocytogenes 10403S was reduced by 5.77 log CFU/ml after 5 min of exposure and by 6.49 log CFU/ml after 10 min of exposure. Biofilm cells were reduced by 5.79 log CFU per chip following exposure to 100 ppm chlorine at 20°C for 5 min, with complete elimination (6.27 log CFU per chip) after exposure to 150 ppm at 20°C for 1 min. A 3% H₂O₂ solution reduced the initial concentration of L. monocytogenes Scott A planktonic cells by 6.0 log CFU/ml after 10 min of exposure at 20°C, and a 3.5% H₂O₂ solution reduced the planktonic population by 5.4 and 8.7 log CFU/ml (complete elimination) after 5 and 10 min of exposure at 20°C, respectively. Exposure of cells grown as biofilms to 5% H₂O₂ resulted in a 4.14-log CFU per chip reduction after 10 min of exposure at 20°C and in a 5.58-log CFU per chip reduction (complete elimination) after 15 min of exposure.