Potential of non-thermal N₂ plasma-treated buffer (NPB) for inhibiting plant pathogenic bacteria and enhancing food storage

Effective inhibition of microbial growth is essential to increase the yield and shelf life of food. In this study, nonthermal N-2 plasma-treated buffer (NPB) was tested for its ability to inactivate plant pathogenic bacteria. Our results showed that NPB strongly inhibited bacterial growth, and 100% inhibitory activity was maintained when up to 10-fold diluted NPB was tested. Scavenger assay using various antioxidants against specific reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) showed that certain ROS and RNS in NPB were responsible for its strong antimicrobial activity. NPB inhibited the growth of plant pathogens on raw produce and was non-toxic to animal cells at all the concentrations tested. In conclusion, our study showed that NPB is a safe and effective antimicrobial agent against plant pathogenic bacteria, and may have wider applications to enhance crop production and the shelf life of stored food.