Cold plasma: background, applications and current trends

Nowadays, people are looking for sophisticated, reliable, and healthy food products that must be sterilized to reduce chemical alterations in food and extend the product’s shelf life. In the past, thermal processing such as pasteurization and sterilization was used to reduce microbial growth, but there were many losses in quality and nutritional attributes. Non-thermal preservation technology plays a powerful and significant role in preventing microbial deterioration. Cold plasma (CP) technology is an emerging non-thermal plasma technology used in the food sector to inactivate microbes by utilizing ionized gas. This ionized gas interacts with biological materials and contributes to the fatality of those microbes. Cold plasma technology is considered an emerging trend in food pres-ervation technology because it is energy-saving and easy to use. Cold plasma can prevent the growth of spoilage microbes while retaining the physicochemical properties of food products. This chapter discusses the interaction of plasma species in food, the impact of cold plasma on the quality and safety of various food products, the combination of plasma technology with other emerging technologies, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of cold plasma, applications of cold plasma in the food sector, and scale-up challenges.

As a new non-thermal treatment technology, cold plasma has the characteristics of safety, high efficiency, non-toxic, etc. It has a very broad prospect in the fields of textile, environmental protection, medicine, and food industry. In recent years, the application of cold plasma technology in sterilization and preservation of agricultural product has been rising. This paper summarizes the classification of plasma, analyzed the mechanism and influencing factors of sterilization. Also, this paper analyzes the cold plasma in the removal of pesticide residues and packing materials in different application research progress, and discussed the advantages of low temperature plasma used for preservation of agricultural products as well as the existing problems. The outlook of cold plasma technology applied in food industry was also proposed. This review could provide reference for the research of cold plasma technology application on agricultural products.

Cold plasma is being used in numerous fields, including food processing. The applications of cold plasma in food processing include germination, disinfestation, disinfection, property modification, pesticide reduction, allergen reduction, and toxicity reduction. However, there are a few crucial challenges in applying cold plasma to food materials that must be tackled to commercialize this technology in the food processing sector. Thus, the chapter was aimed at addressing the challenges faced and the expertise to handle the challenges encountered. This chapter covers the advanced applications of cold plasma in food processing, the challenges faced, and possible avenues for eliminating the challenges.

Emerging applications of cold plasma technology in cereal grains and products

Oral tissuesOral tissues areDentistry unique part of our body which consists of different organs. One of main organs in oral tissuesOral tissues are toothTooth. ToothTooth can be further categorized into three different tissues; enamel, dentin and cementumCementum. Application of cold plasma in dentistry has been actively researched in recent years. Here, application of such cold plasma on dental materials or dental tissues have been summarized.

Abstract: This chapter delves into the latest advancements in food science and modern technologies, exploring their transformative impact on food production, processing, safety, quality, sustainability, and consumer experience. It highlights key innovations such as precision agriculture, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and sustainable farming practices in food production. The chapter also examines novel food processing techniques, including high-pressure processing and cold plasma, and innovations in packaging, such as smart and biodegradable materials. The role of functional foods and nutraceuticals is discussed, emphasizing their health benefits and market trends. Additionally, the chapter explores the digital transformation in the food industry, focusing on automation, robotics, data analytics, and the impact of e-commerce and food delivery services. Through industrial, research, and consumer case studies, the chapter illustrates the practical applications and benefits of these advancements. The conclusion provides a summary of key points, the impact on food systems, and future outlooks, emphasizing the potential for continued growth and innovation in food science and technology. Keywords: Food Science,Modern Technologies,Precision Agriculture,Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs),Sustainable Farming,Food Processing,High-Pressure Processing (HPP),Cold Plasma, Smart Packaging,Biodegradable Packaging,Functional Foods,Nutraceuticals,Probiotics,Prebiotics,Bioactive Compounds,Food Safety,Food Quality,Automation,Robotics, Data Analytics,Artificial Intelligence (AI),E-commerce,Food Delivery,Sustainable Food Systems,Digital Transformation,Blockchain Traceability,Personalized Nutrition, Alternative Proteins,Plant-Based Proteins,Cultured Meat and Insect-Based Foods.

Cold plasma, an emerging and versatile non-thermal technology, has gained substantial attention, particularly in the domain of surface modification, specifically within the context of packaging films. Recent developments in cold plasma technology have unveiled its potential to improve various aspects of packaged films, including chemical composition, physical attributes, structural characteristics, and overall functionality. These enhancements encompass surface roughness, contact angles, flexibility, thermal stability, barrier properties, and antimicrobial efficacy. The imperative for the advancement and expansion of decay-control technologies is crucial, not only for preserving the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables but also for mitigating biological risks throughout postharvest, processing, and storage. This, in turn, extends the shelf life of these products. This review aims to comprehensively outline the various systems utilized in in-package cold plasma (CP) treatments and their interactions with key parameters that significantly influence the efficacy of the process on fruits and vegetables. In this order, the review furnishes a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms through which cold plasma impacts the quality characteristics of diverse fruits and vegetables. The review paper examines the potential of cold plasma technology in inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, deactivating enzymes, and altering the physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics of fresh fruits and vegetables during packaging. Furthermore, It deals with the effect of cold plasma technology on increasing the quality and characteristics of edible films, alongside its utilization as an antimicrobial agent in food packaging.

ABSTRACTCold plasma has emerged as a non-thermal technology for microbial inactivation in the food industry over the last decade. Spore-forming microorganisms pose challenges for microbiological safety and for the prevention of food spoilage. Inactivation of spores induced by cold plasma has been reported by several studies. However, the exact mechanism of spore deactivation by cold plasma is poorly understood; therefore, it is difficult to control this process and to optimize cold plasma processing for efficient spore inactivation. In this review, we summarize the factors that affect the resistance of spores to cold plasma, including processing parameters, environmental elements, and spore properties. We then describe possible inactivation targets in spore cells (e.g., outer structure, DNA, and metabolic proteins) that associated with inactivation by cold plasma according to previous studies. Kinetic models of the sporicidal activity of cold plasma have also been described here. A better understanding of the interaction between spores and cold plasma is essential for the development and optimization of cold plasma technology in food the industry.

Chapter 10 - Quality of Cold Plasma Treated Plant Foods

As an innovative technology in biological applications, cold plasma is widely used in oral treatment, tissue regeneration, wound healing, and cancer therapy, etc., because of the adjustable composition and temperature which allow the plasma to react with bio-objects safely. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by cold plasma regulate cell activity in an intensity- and time-dependent manner. A low level of ROS produced by cold plasma treatment within the appropriate intensities and times promotes proliferation of skin-related cells and increases angiogenesis, which aid in the acceleration of the wound healing process, while a high level of ROS produced by cold plasma treatment performed at a high intensity or over a long period of time inhibits the proliferation of endothelial cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and cancer cells. Moreover, cold plasma can regulate stem cell proliferation by changing niche interface and producing nitric oxide directly. However, the molecular mechanism of cold plasma regulating cell activity and its potential application in the field of animal husbandry remain unclear in the literature. Therefore, this paper reviews the effects and possible regulatory mechanisms of cold plasma on the activities of endothelial cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, stem cells, and cancer cells to provide a theoretical basis for the application of cold plasma to skin-wound healing and cancer therapy. In addition, cold plasma exposure at a high intensity or an extended time shows excellent performances in killing various microorganisms existing in the environment or on the surface of animal food, and preparing inactivated vaccines, while cold plasma treatment within the appropriate conditions improves chicken growth and reproductive capacity. This paper introduces the potential applications of cold plasma treatment in relation to animal-breeding environments, animal health, their growth and reproduction, and animal food processing and preservation, which are all beneficial to the practice of animal husbandry and guarantee good animal food safety results.

Chapter 11 - Chemistry of cold plasma technology

In recent years, cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) technology has received substantial attention due to its valuable properties including operational simplicity, low running cost, and environmental friendliness. Several different gases (air, nitrogen, helium, argon) and techniques (corona discharge, dielectric barrier discharge, plasma jet) can be used to generate plasma at atmospheric pressure and low temperature. Plasma treatment is routinely used in materials science to modify the surface properties (e.g., wettability, chemical composition, adhesion) of a wide range of materials (e.g., polymers, textiles, metals, glasses). Moreover, CAPP seems to be a powerful tool for the inactivation of various pathogens (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses) in the food industry (e.g., food and packing material decontamination, shelf life extension), agriculture (e.g., disinfection of seeds, fertilizer, water, soil) and medicine (e.g., sterilization of medical equipment, implants). Plasma medicine also holds great promise for direct therapeutic treatments in dentistry (tooth bleaching), dermatology (atopic eczema, wound healing) and oncology (melanoma, glioblastoma). Overall, CAPP technology is an innovative, powerful and effective tool offering a broad application potential. However, its limitations and negative impacts need to be determined in order to receive regulatory approval and consumer acceptance.

Cold plasma treatment for E. coli inactivation and characterization for fresh food safety

16 - Cold plasma for sustainable food production and processing

Cold plasma technology exhibits many advantages in practical application. Due to these reasons the use of cold plasma technology for environmental treatment is receiving great attention. Here a novel study on the degradation of styphnic acid from water by cold plasma technology has been presented in detail, such as establishment of cold plasma reactor structure, determination of efficiency in degradation of styphnic acid by cold plasma radiation under different experimental conditions. The obtained results have shown that cold plasma might be used for degrade styphnic acid with high efficiency.