COLD PLASMA TECHNIQUE ITS CURRENT STATUS, APPLICATION AND FUTURE TRENDS IN FOOD INDUSTRY

Abstract

Cold plasma has the ability to inactivate germs in the food processing sector. Cold plasma's action mechanisms, as well as its flexibility as a stand-alone or in conjunction with other technologies, makes it a powerful instrument looking forward to continuing innovative ideas. Irving Langmuir first described the state of matter as having nearly equal amounts of ions and electrons in the ionised gas at the electrodes. Since the 1970s, cold plasma treatment has been employed in semiconductor materials. Plasma is the fourth phase of matter, advancing from solid to liquid, then liquid to gas, and finally plasma. Cold plasmas have been produced using plasma technology in sealed plastic containers-in-package. Cold plasma is employed in sectors such as surface treatment, medical equipment sterilisation, and food safety. There are three main cold plasma technology designs being used for food sterilisation. Remote therapy, direct treatment, and close proximity to an electrode are the most common approaches. Plasma has received widespread application in the food sector during the last decade. DBD, Plasma jet, Corona plasma discharge, radio frequency plasma, microwave plasma are some of the techniques that is used in cold plasma delivery according to recent researches. Food processing sectors have been concentrating on energy use and energy savings during the last few years. Plasma processes provide the following advantages: high reliability at cold temperatures, precise plasma creation tailored to the intended application, minimal effect on the internal product matrix, no wastes, and low resource consumption. Cold Plasma is becoming more widely acknowledged as a viable non-thermal technique that can increase food safety with no impact on food quality. The procedure for obtaining regulatory clearance for novel food technology is governed by the nation's legal framework, and requires further study in system design.