Cold plasma and integrated approaches for fresh produce preservation: Mechanisms, quality attributes, challenges, and future directions

Background

Fruits and vegetables are crucial for our daily nutrition. Nevertheless, their shelf-life is restricted due to quick decomposition caused by microbial spoilage and related enzymatic activity. Nonthermal technologies like cold plasma (CP) can destroy surface microbes from fresh produce, but it may affect their texture and bioactive components. In recent years, CP-based integrated approaches have attracted the researcher's attention to preserve the quality of fresh produce and enhance food safety.

Scope and approach

This review highlights the state-of-the-art in CP and integrated strategies employed for the preservation of fresh produce. It has comprehensively discussed the CP generation mechanisms, CP-induced disinfection mechanisms, quality attributes, challenges, commercial prospects, and future directions.

Key findings and conclusions

Several CP technologies, including dielectric barrier, corona, microwave-powered, and gliding arc discharge plasma, have shown promise for fresh produce. The plasma-based integrated treatments have demonstrated greater efficacy in reducing microbial load, inhibiting bacterial development, and maintaining storage quality over individual treatments. The combination of antibacterial agent, fine mist fog, polymer coating, intense pulse light, vacuum chilling, or modified atmospheric packaging with CP and integration of organic acid, precooling, mild heating, ultrasonication, or micro-bubbling-agitation with plasma-activated water have shown encouraging outcomes. Further study is necessary to confirm the potential of integrated approaches, since they have not been extensively studied on a variety of agricultural goods. Integrated techniques should be simplified to improve their practicality, scalability, and commercial viability. Food safety for CP-treated foods must be assured by rigorous research on harmful substances.