## 3 Results and Discussion
Figure 1: Survival concentrations (log CFU/mL; means \(\pm\) standard deviation) of _S. aureus_ after the application of pasteurization and thermosonication treatments. Different lowercase superscripts indicate significant differences regarding treatments (\(p<0.05\)). IUNT, inoculated and untreated; NIP-72, not inoculated and rapid pasteurization; NIP-65, not inoculated and slow pasteurization; IP-72, inoculated and rapid pasteurization; IP-65, inoculated and slow pasteurization; US1, inoculated, rapid pasteurization, and 3 s sonication; US2, inoculated, rapid pasteurization, and 5 s sonication; US3, inoculated, rapid pasteurization, and 10 s sonication; US4, inoculated, slow pasteurization, and 5 min sonication; US5, inoculated, slow pasteurization, and 10 min sonication; US6, inoculated, slow pasteurization, and 25 min sonication. Prior investigations have explored the inactivation of _S. aureus_ strains in dairy products, shedding light on the pursuit of enhanced food safety. Notably, [PERSON] et al. [11] reported the effects of different hurdle techniques (single ultrasound for 5 min, single heat at 63 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 5 min, 5 min ultrasound followed by 5 min heat, 5 min heat followed by 5 min ultrasound, and simultaneous ultrasound and heat for 5 min) at 20 kHz frequency and with a total input power of 600 W, focused on _S. aureus_ inactivation in milk. Comparing the diverse treatment techniques to the untreated control, the authors reported up to 1.24-fold cell inactivation when simultaneous ultrasound and heat were applied. This finding not only emphasizes the synergistic potential of thermosonication but also paves the way for the present study, which builds upon this foundation to achieve even higher levels of inactivation. Moreover, additional investigations have illuminated the substantial potential of these techniques in combating a diverse array of harmful microorganisms, offering a valuable complement to traditional technological methodologies [4]. For instance, [PERSON] et al. [15] reported an optimized thermosonication process lasting 1-20 min at temperatures between 62 and 74 \({}^{\circ}\)C. This approach resulted in a remarkable reduction of 6.6 log CFU/mL of Shiga toxin-producing _Escherichia coli_ in goat milk. In a separate study, [PERSON] et al. [16] noted a reduction of less than 1 log CFU/mL of heat-resistant E. coli isolated from milk. These findings not only underscore the significance and consistency of the techniques employed herein for mitigating microbiological risks in milk cream but also provide further affirmation of ultrasound's efficacy as a valuable tool in combatting staphylococci within the realm of dairy products. The cumulative knowledge derived from these studies reinforces the versatility and potential of these innovative approaches, offering compelling opportunities for enhancing food safety in the dairy industry and beyond. The tailored optimization of factors such as time and temperature showcases the adaptability and nuanced nature of these techniques, encouraging further exploration and refinement for real-world application. Additionally, it is important to highlight that our analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences (\(p>0.05\)) among the MRSA counts in the inoculated cream subjected to rapid pasteurization (IP-72) and the non-inoculated cream samples that underwent either rapid (NIP-72) or slow (NIP-65) pasteurization, as depicted in Figure 1. This finding is particularly intriguing, as both NIP-72 and NIP-65 demonstrated a notable absence of MRSA growth. Finally, the results conclusively indicate that the synergy of these two technologies significantly reduces the pasteurization time of milk cream by 15 min, all the while maintaining the process's efficiency. Further research and exploration of these methods throughout the storage of cream may provide valuable insights into food safety and quality control.