High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma - A Green Solution to the Food Sector

Introduction - High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma (HVACP) has become revolutionary non-thermal technique in the food sector, with applications ranging from surface modification to decontamination and food safety.

- Akila R, Dawn C P Ambrose

The term "cold plasma" describes a partly ionized gas that is still quite near to room temperature and contains a variety of reactive species, such as ions, free electrons, free radicals, and ultraviolet photons. Atmospheric Cold Plasma works well for extending the nutritional value and shelf life of various biological materials. It mainly describes the weakly ionized gas that can be produced and maintained without the use of vacuum pressures and temperatures which is close to the room temperature. It is created by subjecting carrier gases such as nitrogen, argon, helium, or air to high voltage electric fields in order to form a special kind of reactive matter.

High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma has benefits over other traditional microbial control procedures, such as heat treatment, chemical disinfectants, and radiation processing. While thermal pasteurization risks damaging sensitive compounds and materials and chemical use can leave toxic residues, cold plasma generates a combination of various reactive species that effectively inactivates microbes through targeted oxidative reactions at low temperatures and without hazardous by-products. Cold plasma therapy has less side effects on food quality and safety than ionizing radiation. HVACP's tailored, chemical-free nature makes it a viable green solution for targeted disinfection across the food supply chain. Apart from microbial inactivation, it also provides novel solutions for keeping freshness, improving flavor and texture, and decreasing food waste along the supply chain. Plasma treatment inhibits the enzymatic and metabolic processes that cause deterioration, preserving taste, fragrance, color, and texture in perishables during long-term storage. Surface compound oxidation under controlled conditions can increase sweetness, crispiness, and robustness while activating important taste precursors for excellent organoleptic qualities.