POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF LOW-TEMPERATURE (COLD) PLASMA IN FOOD TECHNOLOGY

The objective of the study was to describe the possibility of applying low temperature (cold) plasma to food technology development. This technology is a novel, non-thermal technique. In the food industry, it could be potentially used to preserve food. The possibility of using this technique in practice is based on the highly reactive chemical compounds, which make up the plasma. Free radicals, atomic oxygen, and other compounds or ions show properties that enable the inactivation of many micro-organisms. The chemical composition of plasma differs depending on the gas used to make it. The mixtures of gases that appear to be the most lethal to micro-organisms contain atomic oxygen or air. Presently, the possibility of using low-temperature (cold) plasma in the food industry is analyzed in laboratories. The reference literature contains examples of applying plasma to decontaminate surfaces of grain and seeds, meat or packaging materials. The continuous increase in the consumer demand for low-processed products and the necessity to protect the environment are two key reasons to justify the indispensability to further search into the low-temperature (cold) plasma technology.