Decontamination of whole strawberry via dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma and effects on quality attributes

Effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma on decontamination of strawberry and its quality characteristics was considered. Weight loss, color change, and firmness of the samples were investigated under low-temperature storage condition. Plasma levels of 7% and 14% duty cycle were examined at exposure times of 5, 10, and 20 min. Destruction of microorganisms on treated samples surface was clearly observed by scanning electron microscopy images. Treatment duration of 20 min reduced total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and yeasts/molds 1.46 and 2.75 log CFU/g, respectively. Texture and color of the treated samples showed no significant difference compared to the control and their quality attributes indicated their superiority over the untreated one. The treated samples with 14% duty cycle DBD plasma for 20 min were even marketable at the end of the storage period. The cold plasma generated by DBD could, therefore, be utilized to prolong fruits shelf life. Practical applications Cold plasma cleaning is a novel dry and nonthermal technology without the use of chemicals. The present study would be practically advantageous as it explains decontamination of strawberry as a part of many people's diet all over the world via dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The plasma-treated samples for 20 min were marketable after 12 days of storage. Hence, the nonthermal DBD plasma treatment is an effective way to prolong the shelf life of strawberry.

Automated summary

The study investigated the effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma on decontamination and quality characteristics of strawberries, finding that a 20-minute treatment significantly reduced microbial counts without affecting texture or color, demonstrating superiority over untreated samples. Therefore, DBD cold plasma treatment is an effective way to prolong the shelf life of strawberries.