Effect of post‐discharge time of plasma‐treated water (PTW) on microbial inactivation and quality of fresh‐cut potatoes

Abstract

The feasibility of applying plasma-treated water (PTW) to fresh-cut potatoes was evaluated in this study. The characteristics of PTW were measured in relation to post-discharge time and PTW was distinguished based on the concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, and hydrogen peroxide. Inactivation results showed that disinfection efficiency differed according to PTW treatments depending on post-discharge time and the target bacteria. Disinfection efficiency of PTW for E. coli was maintained for 1 hr, but was lower when PTW aged for 1 week was applied. Meanwhile, only a small reduction of food-borne bacteria was found after treatment with freshly made PTW. Negligible change was observed in the color, weight loss, hardness, and pH of sliced potatoes treated with different types of PTW. It is suggested that PTW treatment is a promising alternative for the preservation of fresh-cut potatoes and that it is effective for up to 1 hr after its creation. Practical applications Atmospheric plasma technology is an emerging non-thermal treatment that could be applied in the food industry. This study presents that PTW treatment reduce microorganisms in the surface of food without altering food quality. Moreover, the effect was maintained for at least 1 hr. This investigation may help in promoting the availability of PTW in the food washing industry.