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Integrated in-package treatment of hydrogen peroxide and cold plasma for microbial inactivation of cabbage slices

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Abstract

The efficacy of an in-package microbial inactivation method, combining H2O2 and atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (ADCP) treatments (H2O2-ADCP), in reducing contamination of Brassica oleracea (cabbage) slices was investigated. Cabbage slices were placed in a polyethylene terephthalate container with a H2O2-soaked polypropylene pad attached to the inside of the lid, followed by subjecting the closed container to ADCP treatment. The H2O2-ADCP treatment inactivated Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes, resulting in reductions of 1.8 and 2.0 log CFU/g, respectively, which were greater than the sum of the inactivation effects observed with each individual treatment. The combined treatment decreased the count of Bacillus cereus spores and indigenous bacteria by 1.0 log spores/g and 1.3 log CFU/g, respectively. Moreover, the in-package method did not alter the moisture content or texture of cabbage slices. These results demonstrate the potential of H2O2-ADCP as a microbial decontamination method for packaged cabbage slices.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (IPET) through High Value-added Food Technology Development Program, funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) (322018-04), by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. 2022R1A2C1003198), and by a research grant from Seoul Women’s University (2024).

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  1. Ye Eun Kim and Ga Eun Myung have equally contributed to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women’s University, 621, Hwarangro, Nowon-Gu, Seoul, 01797, Republic of Korea

    Ye Eun Kim, Ga Eun Myung, Ye Jeong Jeon & Sea C. Min

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  1. Ye Eun Kim
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  2. Ga Eun Myung
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  3. Ye Jeong Jeon
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Correspondence to Sea C. Min.

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Kim, Y.E., Myung, G.E., Jeon, Y.J. et al. Integrated in-package treatment of hydrogen peroxide and cold plasma for microbial inactivation of cabbage slices. Food Sci Biotechnol 33, 1633–1640 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-024-01536-w

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