A comprehensive review on cold plasma applications in the food industry

Abstract

Cold plasma (CP) technology has gained attention as a non-thermal, sustainable approach for microbial decontamination and functional enhancement in food systems. Conventional thermal processing methods often compromise food quality through nutrient degradation, textural changes, and the formation of harmful by-products. In contrast, cold plasma operates at near-room temperatures and utilizes ionized gases to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS), which effectively inactivate microorganisms and enzymes without significant heat input. This review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of cold plasma applications across various food categories, including fresh produce, dairy, meat, cereals, juices, and packaging systems. Mechanistically, CP disrupts microbial membranes through oxidative stress, damaging lipids, proteins, and DNA. Treatment durations as short as 60 seconds have achieved >5-log reductions in E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella in products such as apple juice, lettuce, and dairy. Enzymes such as peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase show activity reductions of up to 70% under atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at 6.9 kV for less than 1 minute. CP also induces beneficial structural changes in proteins and starches. For instance, cross-linking of starch granules improves gelatinization and water absorption, shortening rice cooking time by 27.5%. In protein systems, CP treatment enhances solubility by up to 12.7%, and emulsification and foaming capacity are also improved, particularly in soy and pea protein isolates. In-package cold plasma technology enables microbial decontamination within sealed environments, maintaining product integrity and extending shelf life up to 14 days in treated chicken and fresh-cut melon. While CP offers a low-energy, chemical-free solution aligned with clean-label and sustainability goals, challenges remain in process standardization, by-product control, and scale-up. Nonetheless, its compatibility with sustainable development targets, including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 7 (Clean Energy), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), reinforces its potential as a next-generation food processing technology. Future studies need to focus on combining CP with other innovative technologies, addressing long-term safety concerns, and enhancing CP configurations for various food matrices. To ensure the public acceptance of CP as an innovative food processing technology, interdisciplinary partnerships and regulatory frameworks must be established.