Optimization of in-package cold plasma treatment conditions for raw chicken breast meat with response surface methodology

Authors: Zhuang, Hong; Rothrock, Michael; Line, John; Lawrence, Kurt; Gamble, Gary; Bowker, Brian; KEENER, KEVIN - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/6/2019
Publication Date: 8/12/2019
Citation: Zhuang, H., Rothrock Jr, M.J., Line, J.E., Lawrence, K.C., Gamble, G.R., Bowker, B.C., Keener, K. 2020. Optimization of in-package cold plasma treatment conditions for raw chicken breast meat with response surface methodology. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies. 66:e102477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2020.102477.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2020.102477

Interpretive Summary: Microbiological quality and safety of raw poultry meat has been a challenge for the poultry industry. Each year, millions of pounds of fresh poultry meat products are lost as a result of microbiological spoilage and contamination with foodborne pathogens. In-package dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)-based atmospheric cold plasma (IPCP) is a new non-thermal antimicrobial technique for inactivating foodborne pathogens and extending microbiological shelf life of fresh food products. A number of studies have documented that IPCP can significantly reduce microbial loads on food surface and the effectiveness is dependent upon treatment conditions, such as exposure time, electric voltage used to generate cold plasma in packages, and modified atmosphere (MA) composition in packages. In this study, we investigated the optimal treatment condition of the IPCP for foodborne pathogenic and spoilage microbes and effects of the condition on quality of packaged raw skinless chicken breast meat. Our data demonstrate that the IPCP with MA further reduced either growth of spoilage microbes or Campylobacter populations on the raw meat surface than that with air. However, for Salmonella, MA was not able to further improve the antimicrobial effectiveness of IPCP compared with air. For Campylobacter and Salmonella, IPCP showed the same inactivating effectiveness in the ranges of treatment time, treatment voltage, and MA used in this study. However, for spoilage microbes, predicted the optimal conditions are 35% oxygen (or 60 % carbon dioxide) in packages and IPCP treatment at 60 kV for 60 sec. For drip loss and pH, any combination of treatments and MA conditions tested had the same effect at a 0.05 significant level. However, for meat color, the effects of the treatment conditions and packaging atmospheres varied with standard color measurements. Based on these data, we recommend modified atmosphere with 35% oxygen and 60% carbon dioxide and cold plasma treatment at 60 kV for 60 sec as the optimal condition for IPCP treatment of raw chicken meat.

Technical Abstract: Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize in-package cold plasma (IPCP) treatment for raw chicken meat. Non-inoculated meat samples and the samples inoculated with Campylobacter and Salmonella were packaged in three different atmospheres (35% O2/60% CO2, 65% O2/30% CO2, or 95% O2/0% CO2) and treated at 60, 70, or 80 kV for 60, 180, or 300 sec. Microbial counts (psychrophiles, Campylobacter, Salmonella) and meat color, pH, and drip loss were measured. There were no differences in antimicrobial effectiveness of IPCP against Campylobacter and Salmonella and in drip loss and pH regardless of combination of the treatment time, treatment voltage, and packaging atmosphere. For psychrophiles, the effectiveness differed from the combination. Color effects varied with CIEL*a*b*. RSM analysis suggest that modified atmosphere with 35% O2 and 60% CO2 and cold plasma treatment at 60 kV for 60 sec are the optimal condition for IPCP treatment of raw chicken meat.