Abstract
Although non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is an efficient tool for preventing post-harvest microbial contamination, many studies have focused on the post-treatment of infected or contaminated foods. In this study, we examined the antimicrobial quality of mushrooms pre-treated with a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (NTAPPJ) or plasma-treated water (PTW). The CFU (Colony Forming Unit) number of Escherichia coli inoculated on surfaces of mushrooms pre-treated with NTAPPJ or PTW was significantly reduced (about 60–75% for NTAPPJ and about 35–85% for PTW), and the reduction rate was proportional to the treatment time. Bacterial attachment and viability of the attached bacteria were decreased on NTAPPJ-treated mushroom surfaces. This may be caused by the increased hydrophilicity and oxidizing capacity observed on NTAPPJ-treated mushroom surfaces. In PTW-treated mushrooms, bacterial attachment was not significantly changed, but death and lipid peroxidation of the attached bacteria were significantly increased. Analysis of mushroom quality showed that loss of water content was greater in mushrooms treated with NTAPPJ compared to that in those with no treatment (control) and PTW treatment during storage. Our results suggest that pre-treatment with NTAPPJ or PTW can improve the antibacterial quality of mushroom surfaces by decreasing bacterial attachment (for NTAPPJ) and increasing bacterial lipid peroxidation (for both NTAPPJ and PTW).
Highlights
A healthy diet, containing low non-digestible carbohydrates and dietary fiber, has a high nutritional value for humans [1,2]
Using Enoki mushroom (F. velutipes) as a target post-harvested product, we investigated the effects of priming treatment using plasma on antimicrobial quality of mushrooms and the underlying mechanisms in this study
Because the mushroom surface had reductive potential after non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (NTAPPJ) treatment, we examined the peroxidation of the membrane lipids of bacteria inoculated on the mushroom surface by measuring the level of MDA as a by-product of lipid peroxidation
Summary
A healthy diet, containing low non-digestible carbohydrates and dietary fiber, has a high nutritional value for humans [1,2]. Foods such as beans, legumes, bran cereal, mushrooms, and some other vegetables and fruits provide a good source of fiber, and their consumption is reported to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, enhanced laxation, satiety, and decrease postprandial blood glucose [2,3]. Harvested mushrooms are metabolically active, undergo ripening and senescence processes, and are susceptible to contamination and microbial growth that must be controlled to ensure post-harvest quality. Pathogenic organisms increase the degradation rate of the mushroom, as microbial contamination is the most common reason of food spoilage. Protecting degradable food from microbial contamination in the post-harvest stage is one of the greatest challenges for long-term preservation and quality maintenance
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