Research Progress and Future Trends of Low Temperature Plasma Application in Food Industry: A Review

Food nutrition, function, sensory quality and safety became major concerns to the food industry. As a novel technology application in food industry, low temperature plasma was commonly used in the sterilization of heat sensitive materials and is now widely used. This review provides a detailed study of the latest advancements and applications of plasma technology in the food industry, especially the sterilization field; influencing factors and the latest research progress in recent years are outlined and upgraded. It explores the parameters that influence its efficiency and effectiveness in the sterilization process. Further research trends include optimizing plasma parameters for different food types, investigating the effects on nutritional quality and sensory attributes, understanding microbial inactivation mechanisms, and developing efficient and scalable plasma-based sterilization systems. Additionally, there is growing interest in assessing the overall quality and safety of processed foods and evaluating the environmental sustainability of plasma technology. The present paper highlights recent developments and provides new perspectives for the application of low temperature plasma in various areas, especially sterilization field of the food industry. Low temperature plasma holds great promise for the food industry's sterilization needs. Further research and technological advancements are required to fully harness its potential and ensure safe implementation across various food sectors.

Automated summary

Food industry is increasingly concerned about nutrition, function, sensory quality, and safety. Low temperature plasma, as a novel technology application, is commonly used in sterilization of heat sensitive materials and has gained wide acceptance. This review provides a detailed study on the latest advancements and applications of plasma technology in the food industry, especially sterilization. It explores the influencing factors, research progress, and future trends in optimizing plasma parameters, understanding microbial inactivation mechanisms, and developing efficient plasma-based sterilization systems. It emphasizes the need for further research and technological advancements to fully harness the potential of low temperature plasma in ensuring safe implementation across different food sectors.