Effect of cold plasma treatment on Xanthan gum properties

Abstract

Cold plasma is a nonthermal process used for microbial inactivation and modification of proteins and carbohydrates. This study aims to find out the effect of cold plasma on the properties of xanthan gum (XG) at different power and treatment time. Treated and control xanthan gum was characterized to know the change in the physicochemical and thermal property. Cold plasma treatment does not show any effect on proximate composition of xanthan gum. Treatment resulted in a decrease in bulk, tapped density, and compressibility index, and an increase in porosity Hausner's ratio and angle of repose of xanthan gum. BET analysis confirms an increase in surface area due to the etching phenomena of treatment. Moreover, change in acid, hydroxyl value, and pH were observed due to treatment. However, change in functional group of control and treated xanthan gum was not observed. TGA analysis of control and treated xanthan gum revealed that treatment does not affect the thermal properties.