Advances in Cold Plasma Applications for Food Safety and Preservation

Book excerpt: Cold plasma is one of the newest technologies tested for food preservation. In the last decade, this novel approach has shown promising results as a disinfectant of food products and packaging materials. Cold plasma is also affordable, waterless, waste-free, and leaves no chemical residue on the product. This exciting new technology is covered thoroughly in Advances in Cold Plasma Applications for Food Preservation.The book presents the basic principles of cold plasma, examples of food products disinfected by cold plasma, and the challenges of using cold plasma to maximize microbial and spore inactivation. Some chapters are devoted to specific applications of the technology, such as the use of cold plasma for space missions. Insights about the required regulations for this technology are also discussed.Written and edited by experts in the field, Advances in Cold Plasma Applications for Food Preservation is aimed at academic researchers, food scientists, and government officials working on disinfection of food products. - Covers the basic principles of cold plasma - Presents novel information and updated results in microbial, spore, and enzyme inactivation in different food products - Explores the use of cold plasma in disinfection of food products, including packaged food and food packaging materials and discuss how some food components are modified - Includes the description of some of the current equipment devices and the requirements to design specific food processing systems - Investigates specific uses of cold plasma in some applications such as space food - Details current regulatory status of cold plasma for food applications