Plasma-Activated Water (PAW) Decontamination of Foodborne Bacteria in Shucked Oyster Meats Using a Compact Flow-Through Generator
Phuthidhorn Thana, Dheerawan Boonyawan, Mathin Jaikua, Woranika Promsart, Athitta Rueangwong, Sunisa Ungwiwatkul, Kanyarak Prasertboonyai, Jakkrawut Maitip
Abstract
This study explored the effectiveness of plasma-activated water (PAW), generated by a newly developed compact generator, for decontaminating foodborne bacteria in oyster meats. The generator effectively produced PAW with antibacterial activity when the water passed through the plasma reactor in a single cycle. The temperature of the PAW produced by the developed device did not exceed 40 °C, enabling its direct application to biological tissues immediately after production and discharge from the plasma reactor. The effects of flow rates and post-discharge times on key reactive species—including hydrogen peroxide, nitrite, and nitrate—were analyzed, along with pH and temperature. Freshly produced PAW can completely inhibit both E. coli and S. aureus in vitro, with a 5-log reduction within 5 min of treatment. Application to oyster meats led to an 86.6% and 87.9% inactivation of V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus, respectively. These research findings indicate that PAW generated using the developed compact flow-through generator holds promise as a food safety solution for households. The fact that complete foodborne pathogen elimination was not achieved emphasizes the need for further optimization.