No abstract

Two nearly identical plasma jet-like systems with water misting were investigated for effective pathogen inactivation regimens on Escherichia coli in atmospheric conditions. Although the electrode construction is quite similar, we show that the concentration of active species generated at the exit of the discharge is quite different, and inactivation of bacteria by this treatment also varies. Inactivation and production rates of hydrogen peroxide, nitrate, and nitrite in liquid were higher when a single quartz barrier was utilized in the dielectric barrier discharge and one of the electrodes was open stainless steel.

been tested to extend the shelf life of banana storage. Cold plasma is an environmentally friendly antimicrobial technology with the potential to enhance the shelf life of fresh fruit and vegetables. nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure microsecond-pulsed direct barrier discharge plasma (msp-DBD or "cold plasma") on the shelf life of bananas. Bananas were exposed to plasma-treated air for 1 week at room temperature and normal pressure and humidity. The change in weight, color, surface morphology, and sugar content of bananas was investigated. Plasma treatment caused no ally, mold growth was observed in untreated samples after storage, but was absent in plasmatreated samples. This study demonstrated that the mspDBD technique has the potential to prolong the shelf life of bananas compared with conventional methods by inhibiting pathogen growth in post-harvest storage conditions.