ARS | Publication request: Cold Plasma: A Novel Intervention for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2009
Publication Date: June 12, 2009
Citation: Niemira,B. 2009. Cold Plasma: A Novel Intervention for Fresh Fruits and Produce [abstract].Philadlephia Conference of the Central Atlantic States Assn. of Food and Drug Officials (CASA). Bridgeton,NJ.p.1.

Technical Abstract: Research in cold plasma processing at the USDA’s Eastern Regional Research Center is focused on developing this technology into an effective tool to improve the safety of a variety of foods. This presentation will provide an introduction to the technology that will explain the engineering and microbiology behind its application. Examples of the use of the technology on fresh produce will be presented. In research conducted by ARS scientists, cold plasma applied to outbreak strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Stanley inoculated on the surfaces of golden delicious apples resulted in significant (p<0.05) reductions from the untreated control. Maximum reductions were obtained after 180 seconds of treatment, and ranged from 2.9 to 3.7 log cfu/ml for S. Stanley, and 3.4 - 3.6 log cfu/ml for E. coli O157:H7. Inactivation followed a time-dependent reduction when plasma was applied at different flow rates of the feed gas. This presentation will provide a status summary of ongoing research at the USDA labs and elsewhere, and discuss future applications of this technology.