Abstract
Thin sheets of bean curd may serve as an excellent source of nutrition for microorganisms and are therefore prone to contamination, which can be harmful to public health. This study evaluated the influence of plasma-activated water (PAW) on the microbial load and food quality of thin sheets of bean curd. Treatment for 30 min with PAW that was activated for 90 s reduced the microbial count by 1.26 and 0.91 log10 CFU/g for total aerobic bacteria and total yeasts and molds on thin sheets of bean curd, respectively. The effect of PAW on microbial inactivation strongly depended on the activation time for PAW generation and the soaking time of the thin sheets of bean curd in PAW. Further, PAW could maintain total isoflavone content, sensory properties, and most of the textural properties of the thin sheets of bean curd. Although PAW treatments caused significant changes in color parameters of the thin sheets of bean curd, the appearance acceptance was not significantly influenced. This work highlights the potential application of PAW in the microbial decontamination of thin sheets of bean curd.
Highlights
Thin sheets of bean curd are a kind of traditional bean product in Southeast Asia
The initial bacteria count was 6.05 log10 CFU/g, while that of total yeasts and these results indicated that the plasma activation time for plasma-activated water (PAW) generation had a positive effect on molds was 5.70 log10 CFU/g
PAW90 groups presented the best inactivation effects (Figure 1B). All of these results indicated that the plasma activation time for PAW generation had a positive effect on the inactivation of bacteria as well as total yeasts and molds
Summary
Thin sheets of bean curd are a kind of traditional bean product in Southeast Asia They are a semi-dehydrated soybean product, produced by adding a coagulant to soy milk and compressing it into thin sheets, and are used in a wide variety of popular dishes. They are rich in minerals, protein, and overall amino acid composition [1]. The abundant isoflavones and lecithin act as functional ingredients for preventing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, as well as cancer [2] Due to their good nutrition, thin sheets of bean curd can be a vehicle for microorganisms, which are responsible for food spoilage and may present a health hazard to humans. It is necessary to control the contamination of thin sheets of bean curd
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