Evaluating the effects of plasma-activated slightly acidic electrolyzed water on bacterial inactivation and quality attributes of Atlantic salmon fillets

Abstract

In this study, an intervention non-thermal processing technology plasma-activated slightly acidic electrolyzed water (PASW) was developed to better preserve salmon fillets. Compared to the plasma-activated water (PAW) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW), PASW treatment was found to be more effective in inactivating microorganisms. After PAW, SAEW, or PASW treatment for 120 s, the population of Shewanella putrefaciens (S. putrefaciens) was reduced by 2.04, 2.62 and 2.08 Log CFU/mL (P < 0.05) using plate counts, respectively. The test for the leakage of nucleic acids and protein in intracellular contents confirmed that PASW caused serious damage to the microbial cell structural integrity compared to that alone PAW or SAEW. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopic observations also showed that PASW caused apparent bacterial structural changes. Besides, the PASW treatment did not alter color and textural properties of salmon fillets, and restrained lipid oxidation as compared to the control and SAEW treatments. In all, this study compared the bacterial inactivation mechanisms for PAW, SAEW, and PASW, and suggested that PASW was effective in inactivating S. putrefaciens of salmon fillets. Industrial relevancePlasma-activated slightly acidic electrolyzed water, an emerging technology in food processing, can be a potential green technology for the processing of aquatic food products. PASW treatment had higher disinfection efficacy than that of SAEW or PAW treatment alone, and no adverse effect on the quality of Atlantic salmon fillets. These results boost knowledge in the food preservation field, as well as the application of non-thermal processing in the food industry.