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Cold Plasma Technology in Food Processing and Preservation: Food Quality,...
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Cold Plasma Technology in Food Processing and Preservation: Food Quality, Functional Value and Sensory Evaluation

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 844

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chongshan Zhong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Information & Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: electric; cold plasma technology
Dr. Nevena Puac

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: low temperature plasma physics; construction and diagnostic of CCP/ICP RF and MW plasmas; atmospheric pressure plasmas; power measurements with derivative probes
Dr. Xiaoyun He

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing 100083, China
2. Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: food safety; risk assessment; food nutrition; genetically modified food
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cold plasma technology has emerged as innovative and offers chemical-free solutions for food processing and preservation. Reactive particles generated by plasma discharge at ambient temperatures may inactivate microorganisms, thereby extending the shelf life of food products without compromising their nutritional quality. Proper cold plasma treatment can not only enhance food safety by effectively reducing pathogens but also preserve the functional and sensory properties of the food. By maintaining the integrity of vitamins, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds, cold plasma technology could ensure that food retains its health benefits. Additionally, it can preserve the texture, color, and flavor of food products, enhancing the overall sensory experience for consumers. This Special Issue will explore the latest advancements in cold plasma technology, focusing on its impact on food quality, functional value, and sensory evaluation, aiming to provide comprehensive insights into its applications and benefits in the food industry.

Dr. Chongshan Zhong 
Dr. Nevena Puac
Dr. Xiaoyun He
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cold plasma treatment
  • food preservation
  • shelf life extension
  • sensory evaluation
  • nutritional retention

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 5601 KiB  
Article
Effect of Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilization on the Quality of Pre-Prepared Tomato-Stewed Beef Brisket During Storage: Microorganism, Freshness, Protein Oxidation and Flavor Characteristics
by Qihan Shi, Ying Xiao, Yiming Zhou, Jinhong Wu, Xiaoli Zhou, Yanping Chen and Xiaodan Liu
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1106; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071106 - 22 Mar 2025
Viewed by 359
Abstract
Traditional tomato-braised beef brisket with potatoes is celebrated for its rich, complex flavors and culinary appeal but requires lengthy preparation. Pre-packaged versions of the dish rely on thermal sterilization for safety; however, high-temperature processing accelerates protein and lipid oxidation, thereby compromising its sensory [...] Read more.
Traditional tomato-braised beef brisket with potatoes is celebrated for its rich, complex flavors and culinary appeal but requires lengthy preparation. Pre-packaged versions of the dish rely on thermal sterilization for safety; however, high-temperature processing accelerates protein and lipid oxidation, thereby compromising its sensory quality. As the demand for ready-to-eat meals grows, the food industry faces the challenge of ensuring microbial safety while preserving flavor integrity. In this study, low-temperature plasma sterilization (LTPS) (160 KV, 450 s) was evaluated as a non-thermal alternative to conventional high-temperature short-time (HSS) sterilization. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis was conducted over a 10-day storage period, assessing microbial viability, physicochemical properties (pH, shear force, and water-holding capacity), oxidative markers (TBARS, TVB-N, and protein carbonyls), volatile compounds (GC-MS), and electronic nose (e-nose) responses. The results revealed that LTPS (160 kV, 450 s) successfully maintained bacterial counts below regulatory limits (5 lg CFU/g) for 72 h, ensuring that the microbial indicators of short-term processed products sold to supermarkets through cold chain logistics were in the safety range. Additionally, LTPS-treated samples showed a 4.2% higher water-holding capacity (p < 0.05) during storage, indicating improved preservation of texture. Furthermore, LTPS-treated samples exhibited 32% lower lipid oxidation (p < 0.05) and retained 18% higher sulfhydryl content (p < 0.05) compared to HSS, indicating reduced protein oxidation. GC-MS and e-nose analyses showed that LTPS preserved aldehydes and ketones associated with meaty aromas, while HSS contributed to sulfur-like off-flavors. Principal component analysis showed that the LTPS samples had shorter distances across various storage periods compared to HSS, indicating reduced differences in aroma difference. The findings of this study demonstrate LTPS’s dual efficacy in microbial control and aroma preservation. The technology presents a viable strategy for extending the shelf life of pre-prepared meat dishes while reducing oxidative and flavor deterioration, thereby establishing a solid foundation for LTPS application in the pre-prepared food sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cold Plasma Technology in Food Processing and Preservation: Food Quality, Functional Value and Sensory Evaluation)
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Review

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24 pages, 2316 KiB  
Review
The Application of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) in Barley Processing as an Environmentally Friendly Alternative
by Norman Barner, Michael Nelles and Leif-Alexander Garbe
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1635; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091635 - 6 May 2025
Viewed by 95
Abstract
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel and versatile technology, which is not yet used in the food and agricultural sector for barley processing. In lab-scale applications, the technology shows potential in extending shelf life and ensuring food safety and quality, e.g., during [...] Read more.
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel and versatile technology, which is not yet used in the food and agricultural sector for barley processing. In lab-scale applications, the technology shows potential in extending shelf life and ensuring food safety and quality, e.g., during storage. CAP reactive nature counteracts insect pests, fungi, and bacteria, but also improves seed germination and facilitates plant growth not only under stress conditions. Its generation does not require water, chemicals, or solvents and consumes little energy due to low operating temperatures (<60 °C) with a short time span that makes additional production steps (e.g., cooling) obsolete. Therefore, CAP is a sustainable technology capable of further optimising the use of limited resources with the potential of offering solutions for upcoming environmental challenges and political requirements for replacing existing practices and technologies due to the growing impact of climate change. This review summarises recent developments and findings concerning CAP application in barley production and processing with air as the process gas. Furthermore, this comprehensive overview could help identify further research needs to overcome its current technical limitations, e.g., efficiency, capacity, etc., that hamper the upscale and market introduction of this environmentally friendly technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cold Plasma Technology in Food Processing and Preservation: Food Quality, Functional Value and Sensory Evaluation)
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