Effect of atmospheric pressure cold plasma (APCP) on the inactivation of Escherichia coli in fresh produce

A review on microbiological decontamination of fresh produce with nonthermal plasma

Food safety is a critical public health issue for consumers and the food industry because microbiological contamination of food causes considerable social and economic burdens on health care. Most foodborne illness comes from animal production, but as of the mid-1990s in the United States and more recently in the European Union, the contribution of fresh produce to foodborne outbreaks has rapidly increased. Recent studies have suggested that sterilization with nonthermal plasma could be a viable alternative to the traditional methods for the decontamination of heat-sensitive materials or food because this technique proves capable of eliminating micro-organisms on surfaces without altering the substrate. In the last 10 years, researchers have used nonthermal plasma in a variety of food inoculated with many bacterial species. All of these experiments were conducted exclusively in a laboratory and, to our knowledge, this technique has not been used in an industrial setting. Thus, the purpose of this review is to understand whether this technology could be used at the industrial level. The latest researches using nonthermal plasma on fresh produce were analysed. These evaluations have focused on the log reduction of micro-organisms and the treatment time.

Morphology analysis of Escherichia coli treated with nonthermal plasma

AIMS

Nonthermal plasma agents (reactive species and charged particles) are generally generated together. Previous studies of nonthermal plasma agents did not investigate the role of a microbial inactivation agent without interference from other agents. Consequently, the exact mechanism underlying their activity remains unclear. The present experiment was conducted to study the mechanism underlying Escherichia coli inactivation by nonthermal plasma.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The mechanism underlying E. coli inactivation by charged particles was studied using pure argon plasma. Results showed that cell wall damage owing to strong electrostatic forces did not occur during direct current (DC) plasma treatment with Ar or N₂ . Next, the inactivation effects of excited N2∗, N2+, ozone, OH radicals, and nitric oxide were investigated using pure nitrogen plasma and air plasma. Morphological changes and cell rupture of E. coli were observed after 5 min of treatment with nonthermal plasma in air, but not with argon and nitrogen plasma treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate that reactive oxygen species play an essential role in the inactivation of E. coli.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

A clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying nonthermal plasma's inactivation of micro-organism is essential for the practical applications of nonthermal plasma techniques.

Inhibition of Salmonella typhimurium on radish sprouts using nitrogen-cold plasma

This study investigated the effects of cold plasma treatment (CPT) on the inhibition of Salmonella typhimurium on radish sprouts and the quality attributes of the sprouts. Radish sprouts were treated with nitrogen (N₂)-cold plasma at 900W and 667Pa for 0, 2, 5, 10, and 20min using a microwave-powered CPT system. The sensory attributes of the radish sprouts, appearance and odor, were evaluated before and after the treatment. The effects of N₂-CPT for 10min on microbial growth and the quality attributes of the radish sprouts were evaluated during storage for 12days at 4 and 10°C. N₂-CPT at 900W and 667Pa for 20min reduced the number of S. typhimurium by 2.6±0.4logCFU/g. The moisture content of the radish sprouts decreased with treatment time. The appearance and odor of the radish sprouts were not altered by CPT (p>0.05) and this treatment did not affect the quality attributes of the sprouts in terms of color, ascorbic acid concentration, or antioxidant activity during storage at both 4 and 10°C. These findings suggest that CPT has the potential to improve the microbiological safety of radish sprouts with reference to S. typhimurium during cold storage without significant detriment to its quality properties.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Aerobic Microorganisms in Romaine Lettuce Packaged in a Commercial Polyethylene Terephthalate Container Using Atmospheric Cold Plasma

The effects of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DACP) treatment on the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and aerobic microorganisms in romaine lettuce packaged in a conventional commercial plastic container were evaluated during storage at 4°C for 7 days. Effects investigated included the color, carbon dioxide (CO2) generation, weight loss, and surface morphology of the lettuce during storage. Romaine lettuce pieces, with or without inoculation with a cocktail of three strains of E. coli O157:H7 (~6 log CFU/g of lettuce), were packaged in a polyethylene terephthalate commercial clamshell container and treated at 34.8 kV at 1.1 kHz for 5 min by using a DACP treatment system equipped with a pin-type high-voltage electrode. Romaine lettuce samples were analyzed for inactivation of E. coli O157:H7, total mesophilic aerobes, and yeasts and molds, color, CO2 generation, weight loss, and surface morphology during storage at 4°C for 7 days. The DACP treatment reduced the initial counts of E. coli O157:H7 and total aerobic microorganisms by ~1 log CFU/g, with negligible temperature change from 24.5 ± 1.4°C to 26.6 ± 1.7°C. The reductions in the numbers of E. coli O157:H7, total mesophilic aerobes, and yeasts and molds during storage were 0.8 to 1.5, 0.7 to 1.9, and 0.9 to 1.7 log CFU/g, respectively. DACP treatment, however, did not significantly affect the color, CO2 generation, weight, and surface morphology of lettuce during storage (P > 0.05). Some mesophilic aerobic bacteria were sublethally injured by DACP treatment. The results from this study demonstrate the potential of applying DACP as a postpackaging treatment to decontaminate lettuce contained in conventional plastic packages without altering color and leaf respiration during posttreatment cold storage.

Dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma inhibits Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Tulane virus in Romaine lettuce

The present study investigated the effects of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DACP) treatment on the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Tulane virus (TV) on Romaine lettuce, assessing the influences of moisture vaporization, modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), and post-treatment storage on the inactivation of these pathogens. Romaine lettuce was inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, L. monocytogenes (~6logCFU/g lettuce), or TV (~2logPFU/g lettuce) and packaged in either a Petri dish (diameter: 150mm, height: 15mm) or a Nylon/polyethylene pouch (152×254mm) with and without moisture vaporization. Additionally, a subset of pouch-packaged leaves was flushed with O2 at 5% or 10% (balance N2). All of the packaged lettuce samples were treated with DACP at 34.8kV for 5min and then analyzed either immediately or following post-treatment storage for 24h at 4°C to assess the inhibition of microorganisms. DACP treatment inhibited E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, L. monocytogenes, and TV by 1.1±0.4, 0.4±0.3, 1.0±0.5logCFU/g, and 1.3±0.1logPFU/g, respectively, without environmental modifications of moisture or gas in the packages. The inhibition of the bacteria was not significantly affected by packaging type or moisture vaporization (p>0.05) but a reduced-oxygen MAP gas composition attenuated the inhibition rates of E. coli O157:H7 and TV. L. monocytogenes continued to decline by an additional 0.6logCFU/g in post-treatment cold storage for 24h. Additionally, both rigid and flexible conventional plastic packages appear to be suitable for the in-package decontamination of lettuce with DACP.

Emerging applications of low temperature gas plasmas in the food industry

The global burden of foodborne disease due to the presence of contaminating micro-organisms remains high, despite some notable examples of their successful reduction in some instances. Globally, the number of species of micro-organisms responsible for foodborne diseases has increased over the past decades and as a result of the continued centralization of the food processing industry, outbreaks now have far reaching consequences. Gas plasmas offer a broad range of microbicidal capabilities that could be exploited in the food industry and against which microbial resistance would be unlikely to occur. In addition to reducing the incidence of disease by acting on the micro-organisms responsible for food spoilage, gas plasmas could also play a role in increasing the shelf-life of perishable foods and thereby reduce food wastage with positive financial and environmental implications. Treatment need not be confined to the food itself but could include food processing equipment and also the environment in which commercial food processing occurs. Moreover, gas plasmas could also be used to bring about the degradation of undesirable chemical compounds, such as allergens, toxins, and pesticide residues, often encountered on foods and food-processing equipment. The literature on the application of gas plasmas to food treatment is beginning to reveal an appreciation that attention needs also to be paid to ensuring that the key quality attributes of foods are not significantly impaired as a result of treatment. A greater understanding of both the mechanisms by which micro-organisms and chemical compounds are inactivated, and of the plasma species responsible for this is forming. This is significant, as this knowledge can then be used to design plasma systems with tailored compositions that will achieve maximum efficacy. Better understanding of the underlying interactions will also enable the design and implementation of control strategies capable of minimizing variations in plasma treatment efficacy despite perturbations in environmental and operational conditions.

Effects of cold atmospheric gas phase plasma on anthocyanins and color in pomegranate juice

The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of cold atmospheric gas phase plasma on anthocyanins and color in pomegranate juice. Outcomes of plasma treatment were observed at different operating conditions: (i) treatment time (3, 5, 7 min), (ii) treated juice volume (3, 4, 5 cm(3)), and (iii) gas flow (0.75, 1, 1.25 dm(3)/min). The greatest anthocyanin stability was found at: 3 min treatment time, 5 cm(3) sample volume, and 0.75 dm(3)/min gas flow. Plasma treatment yielded higher anthocyanin content from 21% to 35%. Multivariate analysis showed that total color change was not associated with sample volume and treatment time, however it declined with increased gas flow. The change of color increased in comparison treated vs. untreated pomegranate juice. Constructed mathematical equation confirmed that increase of anthocyanin content increased with gas flow, sample volume and change in color. In summary, this study showed that plasma treatment had positive influences on anthocyanins stability and color change in cloudy pomegranate juice.

Nonthermal plasma--A tool for decontamination and disinfection

By definition, the nonthermal plasma (NTP) is partially ionized gas where the energy is stored mostly in the free electrons and the overall temperature remains low. NTP is widely used for many years in various applications such as low-temperature plasma chemistry, removal of gaseous pollutants, in gas-discharge lamps or surface modification. However, during the last ten years, NTP usage expanded to new biological areas of application like plasma microorganisms' inactivation, ready-to-eat food preparation, biofilm degradation or in healthcare, where it seems to be important for the treatment of cancer cells and in the initiation of apoptosis, prion inactivation, prevention of nosocomial infections or in the therapy of infected wounds. These areas are presented and documented in this paper as a review of representative publications.

Low-temperature, low-pressure gas plasma application on Aspergillus brasiliensis, Escherichia coli and pistachios

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) treatment on selected bacteria and spores and to contribute to the understanding of the synergistic effect of UV-directed plasma.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The experiments were conducted on pure cultures of Aspergillus brasiliensis and Escherichia coli and on naturally contaminated pistachios that were exposed to pure oxygen-, pure argon- and to a mixture of oxygen-argon-generated plasma for different treatment times and at different micro-organism concentrations. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurements were performed to observe the active species in the plasma. After exposure, the effectiveness of decontamination was assessed through microbiological techniques by calculating the growth reduction on a logarithmic scale. A treatment time of 30 min resulted in a 3·5 log reduction of A. brasiliensis using pure oxygen or argon, while treatment times of 5 min, 1 min and 15 s resulted in a 5·4 log reduction using a mixture of argon and oxygen (10 : 1 v/v). Treatment times of 1 min and 30 s resulted in a 4 log reduction of E. coli with oxygen and argon, respectively, which led to a complete elimination of the micro-organisms. Two-log reductions of fungi were achieved for pistachios after a treatment time of 1 min.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that this newly designed plasma reactor offers good potential applications for the reduction in micro-organisms on heat-sensitive materials, such as foods. The plasma that was generated with Ar/O2 was more effective than that which was generated with pure oxygen and pure argon.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

An improvement in the knowledge about PECVD mechanisms was acquired from the chemical and biological points of view, and the suitability of the method for treating dry food surfaces was demonstrated.