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Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods
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Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2021) | Viewed by 15240

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fernando Alba-Elías

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University of La Rioja, Mechanical Engineering Department, San José de Calasanz 31, 26004, Logroño, Spain
Interests: food disinfection using cold plasma; plasma-polymerized functional coatings; plasma activated water (PAW); anti-biofilm coatings; pro-biofilm coatings; in-package food decontamination; surface decontamination using cold plasma
Dr. Elisa Sainz-García

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
University of La Rioja, Mechanical Engineering Department, San José de Calasanz 31, 26004, Logroño, Spain
Interests: food disinfection using cold plasma; plasma-polymerized functional coatings; plasma activated water (PAW); anti-biofilm coatings; pro-biofilm coatings; in-package food decontamination; surface decontamination using cold plasma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

In recent years, Cold Plasma (CP) has been recognized as an interesting technology with many potential applications in food industry. The novelty of this technology lies in its versatility of production and application (direct and indirect plasma, plasma activated water, functional coatings, etc.) and its non-thermal nature since, in many cases, quality attributes of food products have not been negatively affected. CP technology is highly advantageous for conventional applications such as decontamination of food and food contact surfaces and it can also be employed in other emerging applications as the mitigation of food allergens and anti-nutritional factors. This Special Issue, as one can see in the keyword list, is intended to publish innovative research results of mature areas of research (decontamination and food quality), as well as new trends (food functionalization and in-package food decontamination) and important aspects related to the industrial scale (toxicity studies and product shelf-life). Finally, this Special Issue attempts to increase the knowledge of this technology with the aim of promoting the establishment of legislation to regulate the application of this powerful and profitable technology.

 

Dr. Fernando Alba-Elías
Guest Editor 
Dr. Elisa Sainz-García
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Food disinfection using direct cold plasma 
  • Mechanisms of microbial disinfection of cold plasma 
  • Effects of cold plasma on food quality
  • Food functionalization using cold plasma 
  • Food contact surface decontamination using cold plasma 
  • Food disinfection using plasma activated water (PAW) 
  • Food packaging material processing and in-package food decontamination using cold plasma 
  • Plasma-polimerized functional coatings 
  • Security and safety of cold plasma treated food 
  • Legislation of cold plasma tretaments 
  • Industrial scale-up of cold plasma technology

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 188 KiB  
Editorial
Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods
by Elisa Sainz-García and Fernando Alba-Elías
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071388 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1743
Abstract
In the last two decades, non-thermal processing technologies have gained widespread attention from the food industry, which is interested in mild and effective processes [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods)

Research

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15 pages, 7565 KiB  
Article
Durability Assessment of a Plasma-Polymerized Coating with Anti-Biofilm Activity against L. monocytogenes Subjected to Repeated Sanitization
by Ignacio Muro-Fraguas, Paula Fernández-Gómez, Rodolfo Múgica-Vidal, Ana Sainz-García, Elisa Sainz-García, Márcia Oliveira, Montserrat González-Raurich, María López, Beatriz Rojo-Bezares, Mercedes López and Fernando Alba-Elías
Foods 2021, 10(11), 2849; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112849 - 18 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1968
Abstract
Biofilm formation on food-contact surfaces is a matter of major concern causing food safety and spoilage issues to this sector. The aim of this study was to assess the durability of the anti-biofilm capacity of a plasma-polymerized coating composed of a base coating [...] Read more.
Biofilm formation on food-contact surfaces is a matter of major concern causing food safety and spoilage issues to this sector. The aim of this study was to assess the durability of the anti-biofilm capacity of a plasma-polymerized coating composed of a base coating of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and a functional coating of acrylic acid (AcAc). Coated and uncoated AISI 316 stainless steel (SS) plates were subjected to five sanitization cycles with sodium hypochlorite (0.05%) and peracetic acid (0.5%). The effectiveness of the coating for the inhibition of multi-strain Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation was confirmed using a three-strain cocktail, which was grown on the SS plates at 12 °C for 6 days. Compared to the uncoated SS, relative biofilm productions of 14.6% on the non-sanitized coating, 27.9% on the coating after sanitization with sodium hypochlorite, and 82.3% on the coating after sanitization with peracetic acid were obtained. Morphological and physicochemical characterization of the coatings suggested that the greater anti-biofilm effectiveness after sanitization with sodium hypochlorite was due to the high pH of this solution, which caused a deprotonation of the carboxylic acid groups of the functional coating. This fact conferred it a strong hydrophilicity and negatively charged its surface, which was favorable for preventing bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods)
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21 pages, 2641 KiB  
Article
Chemical and Antimicrobial Effects of Air Non-Thermal Plasma Processing of Fresh Apple Juice with Focus on Safety Aspects
by Barbora Tarabová, Francesco Tampieri, Elisabetta Maran, Ester Marotta, Andrea Ostrihoňová, Marco Krewing and Zdenko Machala
Foods 2021, 10(9), 2055; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10092055 - 31 Aug 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3351
Abstract
Freshly squeezed apple juice was subjected to air non-thermal plasma treatment to investigate the capability of this processing method to inactivate microorganisms and to evaluate its safety when applied to liquid food products. Two different configurations of a transient spark discharge in ambient [...] Read more.
Freshly squeezed apple juice was subjected to air non-thermal plasma treatment to investigate the capability of this processing method to inactivate microorganisms and to evaluate its safety when applied to liquid food products. Two different configurations of a transient spark discharge in ambient air were tested: an electrospray system with the juice flowing directly through the high voltage needle electrode, and a batch system, where the discharge was generated onto the surface of the juice. The key physico-chemical parameters of the juice, such as pH, conductivity, color, transmittance, and Brix degree, did not significantly change upon treatment. The concentration of nitrate ions formed by the plasma was safe, while that of nitrite ions and hydrogen peroxide was initially higher than the safety limits, but decreased within 24 h post treatment. The plasma effect on individual natural components of the juice, such as sugars, organic acids, and polyphenols, treated in water solutions led to their partial or substantial decomposition. However, when these compounds were plasma-treated altogether in the juice, they remained unaffected. The antimicrobial effect of the plasma processing was evaluated via the inoculation of model microorganisms. A stronger (6 log) decontamination was detected for bacteria Escherichia coli with respect to yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Plasma processing led to a substantial extension of the juice shelf-life by up to 26 days if refrigerated, which represents a promising application potential in food technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods)
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17 pages, 3802 KiB  
Article
Potential Alternative to Nitrite in Roasted Lamb for Sensory Attributes: Atmospheric Nonthermal Plasma Treatment
by Ruixia Chen, Dequan Zhang, Huan Liu, Zhenyu Wang and Teng Hui
Foods 2021, 10(6), 1234; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061234 - 28 May 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2207
Abstract
Reducing or replacing sodium nitrite without compromising the sensory attributes of meat products has always been a focus of the meat industry. In this study, five treatments, CT (without nitrite and plasma treatment), NT (with nitrite treatment), PT15, PT30, and PT45 (without nitrite [...] Read more.
Reducing or replacing sodium nitrite without compromising the sensory attributes of meat products has always been a focus of the meat industry. In this study, five treatments, CT (without nitrite and plasma treatment), NT (with nitrite treatment), PT15, PT30, and PT45 (without nitrite and with plasma treatment for 15, 30, and 45 min, respectively), were designed to investigate the effect of atmospheric nonthermal plasma treatment replacing nitrite on the sensory attributes of roasted lamb. Results showed that PT45 decreased the residual nitrite of roasted lamb by 30% compared with NT, and nitrite was not detected in the PT15 and PT30 samples. The inhibition effect of plasma treatment on the lipid oxidation reached values from 86.69% to 89.89% compared with NT. Compared with CT, the redness of plasma-treated samples was increased by 9.30% to 31.40%, and the redness of NT samples was increased by 30.87%. In addition, the volatile compounds (OAVs > 1) of the PT30 sample were higher than those of the NT sample. The overall sensory score of the PT30 sample was higher than that of the CT sample and was similar to that of the NT samples. In conclusion, the sensory attributes of roasted lamb were enhanced by plasma treatment, and the 30 min plasma treatment is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods)
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16 pages, 9291 KiB  
Article
Effect of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Plasma on Food-Borne Bacterial Pathogens on Ready-to Eat Foods: Morphological and Physico-Chemical Changes Occurring on the Cellular Envelopes
by Tamara Calvo, Miguel Prieto, Avelino Alvarez-Ordóñez and Mercedes López
Foods 2020, 9(12), 1865; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121865 - 14 Dec 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2112
Abstract
Currently, there is a need for new technological interventions to guarantee the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) has emerged as a promising strategy for inactivating microorganisms on thermo-sensitive foods, and the elucidation of its mechanisms of action will [...] Read more.
Currently, there is a need for new technological interventions to guarantee the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) has emerged as a promising strategy for inactivating microorganisms on thermo-sensitive foods, and the elucidation of its mechanisms of action will aid the rational optimization and industrial implementation of this technology for potential applications in the food industry. In this study, the effectiveness of NTAP for inactivating strains of Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes contaminating the surface of different sliced RTE foods (“chorizo”, salami, bacon, smoked salmon, tofu and apple) was investigated. In addition, to further assess the bacterial inactivation mechanisms of NTAP, the morphological and physico-chemical damages in bacterial cells were analyzed. NTAP was effective for the surface decontamination of all products tested and, especially, of cut apple, where the microbial populations were reduced between 1.3 and 1.8 log units for the two Salmonella strains and E. coli O157: H7, respectively, after 15 min of exposure. In the rest of foods, no significant differences in the lethality obtained for the E. coli O157:H7 strain were observed, with inactivation rates of between 0.6 and 0.9 log cycles after a 15-min treatment. On the other hand, the strains from the rest of pathogenic microorganisms studied were extremely resistant on tofu, where barely 0.2–0.5 log units of inactivation were achieved after 15 min of plasma exposure. S. Enteritidis cells treated for 10 min exhibited noticeable morphological and structural changes, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, which were accompanied by a loss in membrane integrity, with an increased leakage of intracellular components and uptake of propidium iodide and marked changes in regions of their FTIR spectra indicating major alterations of the cell wall components. Overall, this indicates that loss of viability was likely caused for this microorganism by a significant damage in the cellular envelopes. However, the plasma-treated cells of L. monocytogenes did not show such obvious changes in morphology, and exhibited less marked effects on the integrity of their cytoplasmic membrane, what suggests that the death of this pathogenic microorganism upon NTAP exposure is more likely to occur as a consequence of damages in other cellular targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods)
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Review

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12 pages, 293 KiB  
Review
A Review of Microbial Decontamination of Cereals by Non-Thermal Plasma
by Vladimír Scholtz, Jana Jirešová, Božena Šerá and Jaroslav Julák
Foods 2021, 10(12), 2927; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10122927 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2168
Abstract
Cereals, an important food for humans and animals, may carry microbial contamination undesirable to the consumer or to the next generation of plants. Currently, non-thermal plasma (NTP) is often considered a new and safe microbicidal agent without or with very low adverse side [...] Read more.
Cereals, an important food for humans and animals, may carry microbial contamination undesirable to the consumer or to the next generation of plants. Currently, non-thermal plasma (NTP) is often considered a new and safe microbicidal agent without or with very low adverse side effects. NTP is a partially or fully ionized gas at room temperature, typically generated by various electric discharges and rich in reactive particles. This review summarizes the effects of NTP on various types of cereals and products. NTP has undisputed beneficial effects with high potential for future practical use in decontamination and disinfection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods)
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