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Application of Cold Plasma in Nuts, Spices, and Herbs

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Applications of Cold Plasma in Food Safety

Abstract

In recent years, global nut, spice, and herb productions have developed rapidly, and consumption has also increased. During the same period, a massive outbreak of food pathogens was linked to nuts, spices, herbs, and their products, leading to a major change in the way those products are processed. Cold plasma is a new technology used in food processing, which can improve the safety and extend shelf-life of product. A variety of active substances generated by cold plasma can act on microorganisms at ambient temperature and even on complex geometric shapes and heat-sensitive materials without leaving any chemical residues. The chapter introduces the application of various plasma discharge modes (plasma jets, dielectric barrier discharges, and microwave-driven discharges) on surface decontamination of nuts, spices, and herbs. In addition, a brief overview of the effect on their surface color, antioxidation activities, and other qualities with cold plasma treatment. We believe that cold plasma has a wide application prospect in extending the shelf-life and maintaining the quality of these dried foods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China

    Wenjing Yan

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  1. Wenjing Yan
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Correspondence to Wenjing Yan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Tian Ding

  2. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    P.J. Cullen

  3. College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China

    Wenjing Yan

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Yan, W. (2022). Application of Cold Plasma in Nuts, Spices, and Herbs. In: Ding, T., Cullen, P., Yan, W. (eds) Applications of Cold Plasma in Food Safety. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1827-7_12

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