Cold Plasma for Food Preservation

Emerging foodborne illnesses and quality losses due to conventional food preservation methods, there is a need for alternative food processing technologies that enhance shelf life of food with little or no effect on food quality. There is a rise in demand for minimally processed foods that preserve food freshness, quality, and nutritional profile. Cold plasma is one of the chemical-free and environment-friendly technologies that can inactivate microorganisms and food enzymes. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, along with ozone and ultraviolet radiations, formed in the plasma are responsible for food preservation. The efficiency of cold plasma technology depends on several factors, like the source of plasma, the mode of application, the duration of treatment, and the nature of the substrate. Cold plasma technology has shown promise for large-scale commercial application in food preservation.