Applications of cold plasma technique to enhance the safety and quality of different food products
Aisha Shabbir, Syed Ali Hassan, Hafsa Hanif, Rabia Rauf, Sidra Tul Muntaha, Muqdas Jubbar, Rana Muhammad Aadil
Abstract
Cold plasma (CP) has emerged as a novel technology for food processing. Its uses have been expanded into the food industry globally as an effective non-thermal processing technique with various applications. CP treatment uses reactive species for microbial inactivation, mycotoxin degradation, enzyme inactivation, protein modification and hydrogenation. CP treatment improves the physiochemical properties of different food products and the antimicrobial properties of packaging films. This review article demonstrates the applications of CP treatment in different food industries. It also explains the mechanism of microbial reduction in food components by using CP. The plasma source and impact of CP on food quality and safety have been discussed. CP is a key technology to increase the shelf life of food products while enhancing their safety with minimal impact on their bioactive compounds.