Abstract: A cooking process which demonstrates improved cooking efficiency of foodstuffs, improves the quality of such food and enhances the safety of food for consumption by mammals, especially humans. The process utilizes a treatment of foodstuff with an aqueous ozone solution combined with a cooking process to provide a synergistic effect on the killing rates of microorganisms as well as a reduction of the level of microorganisms on and in such foodstuffs. The method comprises sanitizing/disinfecting the foodstuff using an aqueous solution containing an effective amount of ozone, which comprises forming an aqueous solution of ozone, and contacting the foodstuff with the aqueous solution, and subsequently subjecting the foodstuff to a cooking process. The foodstuff is generally contacted with the aqueous solution for a time sufficient to substantially sanitize or disinfect the foodstuff. Optionally, the foodstuff may be packaged before or after the cooking process.