Gas phase surface discharge plasma model for yeast inactivation in water

Abstract

Cold atmospheric plasma is a promising sterilization technology in the food industry. However, there are only a few studies on the process of inactivating microorganisms in liquids, and it is necessary to establish an efficient prediction model before widespread industrial application. In this study, the commercial software COMSOL was used to establish a gas phase surface discharge plasma reactor simulation model, and experiments were subsequently performed to validate the model. Results showed that increasing the initial concentration of yeast in water has a negative effect on the inactivation process. In contrast, yeast inactivation was not significantly affected by reactor diameter changes from 40 mm to 50 mm. The model showed good fit to the experimental data under various operating conditions, and the value of the parameter associated with the reaction coefficients provided insight into the process. This model can be used for process design and improvement of plasma-inactivated liquid foods.