Interactions of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma with Solid and Liquid Food Systems: A Review

Non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma processes combine several advantages such as non-thermal operation and high antimicrobial activity and are thus proposed to be a prospective alternative to traditional food preservation methods, which suffer from undesired alterations of food quality and a lack of acceptance by the consumer. This review summarizes the latest research work in the field of food science and technology dealing with the application of plasma processes on solid and liquid foodstuff. Starting with the historical background of plasma, the basic principles of plasma generation and of the complex plasma chemistry are highlighted and insights into plasma-surface and plasma-liquid interactions are given. Important research results in terms of plasma application on foods are presented with emphasis on the impact of the food matrix on microbial inactivation. Furthermore, the results of recent studies about the behavior of food quality-related components and attributes during plasma exposure are presented.