Abstract
Cold plasma treatment (CPT) was investigated for inhibition of foodborne pathogens and extension of fresh lettuce storage life. Lettuce samples were treated with CP at 400 W and 900 W for 10 min for assessment of the effects of CPT on inhibition of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium, and on physicochemical and sensory properties of lettuce. N2, an N2-O2 mixture, and He effectively formed CP against both pathogens. CPT inhibited both pathogens on lettuce by up to 2.8 log CFU/g. The Weibull model adequately described the degree of microbial inhibition using CPT. N2-CPT did not affect the sensory properties of lettuce. N2-CPT resulted in a bacteriostatic effect against growth of E. coli O157:H7 but did not affect physicochemical properties of lettuce during storage. CPT demonstrated potential for improving the microbial safety of vegetables without loss of physicochemical or sensory properties.
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Song, A.Y., Oh, Y.J., Kim, J.E. et al. Cold plasma treatment for microbial safety and preservation of fresh lettuce. Food Sci Biotechnol 24, 1717–1724 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-015-0223-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-015-0223-8