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Submitted to: Review Article
Publication Type: Review Article Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2014 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Cold plasma (AKA nonthermal plasma, cool plasma, gas plasma, etc.) is a rapidly maturing antimicrobial process being developed for applications in the food industry. A wide array of devices can be used to create cold plasma, but the defining characteristic is that they operate at or near room temperature, as opposed to the thermal plasmas found in conventional electric arc devices. In the case of cold plasma, a feed gas is ionized using high-voltage electrical discharges, microwaves, or other energy sources. The resulting plasma is a complex mixture of ions, free electrons, radicals and other reactive chemical species. The antimicrobial effects of plasma treatment arise from several mechanisms, such as the generation of UV radiation, ozone, charged particles, oxygen radicals, and other reactive species. Operating synergistically, these plasma components damage microbial membranes, DNA, and/or proteins. Basic aspects of the process such as the type of feed gas used, the nature of the plasma generation apparatus, the duration of the treatment and the commodities treated have significant influence on antimicrobial efficacy. The water activity, commodity surface features, protein content, fat content and other factors will influence the resulting sensory quality of the treated product. This article reviews the development of cold plasma technology as applied to foods and food contact surfaces. |
