Cold Plasma Technology: Future Avenues and Challenges

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.

Cold plasma: background, applications and current trends

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cold plasma processing of sesame milk: Changes on physicochemical properties, nutrition, anti-nutritional factors, protein structure and allergenicity

Since the 1980s power distribution in agrofood networks has changed in many countries in Africa, Latin-America, South Asia, and the postsocialist countries in Europe and Asia. In the course of economic liberalization, retail and wholesale trade as well as the food processing and agroscience sector were opened up to foreign investment. Within the frame of such liberalization many states gradually refrained from directly governing this sector and reregulated the trade in a way that gave private companies the possibility to implement new power structures. We analyze the so-called ‘Food Chain Partnership’ (FCP) program implemented by the transnational company Bayer in India as an example for private governance in agrofood networks. Bayer is advancing and coordinating relations between the food processing and retailing industry and farmers. We explore whether such private activity can substitute for the activities of state institutions in governing agrofood networks. As the case study will show, the FCP model is highly selective in terms of farmers, who can participate (criteria include minimum farm size, irrigation facility, literacy, agricultural practices, and mobile phones), the crops that are covered, and the information passed on to the farmers. This limits the potential of market-driven instruments like the FCP to replace the traditional trade system as they concentrate only on those regions and products which are promising most profit to the companies. The global production network approach builds the analytical framework of this paper.

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 as an emerging nonthermal technology for food processing: A comprehensive review

16 - Cold plasma for sustainable food production and processing

Modern agriculture and the food industry have a chance to apply modern technologies related to Industry 4.0. In this context, the review discusses the benefits that the food industry can have from incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) into its production processes and control system. The application of IoT will enable companies to more easily and efficiently achieve the set goals of the organization, produce high-quality and safe food and demand and expectations of consumers. This paper presents the latest knowledge about the potential application of IoT and its importance in the food production and processing sector, primarily in the food industry. In addition, the paper describes some barriers that obstruct the application of IoT in the food processing sector. Finally, the future trends of IoT research and application in this sector are listed. The Internet of Things has the potential to contribute to the improvement of the food industry and the food sector as a whole. This potential refers to: the overall practice of sustainability of the sector, improvement of working conditions, reduction of production costs, more efficient use of raw materials, reduction of energy consumption, reduction of the amount of waste and creation of environmentally friendly products.

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

The treatment of locoregional recurrence (LRR) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) often requires a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Survival outcomes are poor and the treatment outcomes are morbid. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is an ionized gas produced at room temperature under laboratory conditions. We have previously demonstrated that treatment with a CAP jet device selectively targets cancer cells using in vitro melanoma and in vivo bladder cancer models. In the present study, we wished to examine CAP selectivity in HNSCC in vitro models, and to explore its potential for use as a minimally invasive surgical approach that allows for specific cancer cell or tumor tissue ablation without affecting the surrounding healthy cells and tissues. Four HNSCC cell lines (JHU-022, JHU-028, JHU-029, SCC25) and 2 normal oral cavity epithelial cell lines (OKF6 and NOKsi) were subjected to cold plasma treatment for durations of 10, 30 and 45 sec, and a helium flow of 20 l/min−1 for 10 sec was used as a positive treatment control. We showed that cold plasma selectively diminished HNSCC cell viability in a dose-response manner, as evidenced by MTT assays; the viability of the OKF6 cells was not affected by the cold plasma. The results of colony formation assays also revealed a cell-specific response to cold plasma application. Western blot analysis did not provide evidence that the cleavage of PARP occurred following cold plasma treatment. In conclusion, our results suggest that cold plasma application selectively impairs HNSCC cell lines through non-apoptotic mechanisms, while having a minimal effect on normal oral cavity epithelial cell lines.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are prevalent diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system of human beings. The disease affects over 1 million people per year in the United States alone. However, the cause of the disease is still highly debated. There are two predominant diseases of IBD called Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The objective of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of two methodologies of treatment using a novel formulation of a compound named RDP-58 and Cold Plasma (CP) technology in Dextran Sulphate Sodium (DSS) induced colitis model in mice. Cold plasma is a partly ionized gas, which is generated by a high-voltage electric field at a low pressure. CP technology has found its use in medical sterilization, wound healing, skin diseases and tissue regeneration. CP can be used with a biological interface as it has bactericidal effect, induces apoptosis, enhances coagulation and increases cell proliferation. The effect of CP as a stand-alone and in combination with 5-Amino Sa ycylic Acid (5-ASA) in the mouse colon in normal and disease conditions was evaluated. The disease activity (DAI) [Index using Body Weight, Stool Consistency, Blood in Stool as visible or occult] was measured everyday to evaluate the progress of the disease. Colon tissue was collected to estimate Tissue and DNA damage. The study brings state of the art plasma technology onto a biological platform for in vivo application in living animals. The study for the first time demonstrates in vivo application of Cold Plasma in a live animal.