Effects of sanitizing treatments with atmospheric cold plasma, SDS and lactic acid on verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes in red chicory (radicchio)

A review on mechanisms and impacts of cold plasma treatment as a non-thermal technology on food pigments

Food characteristics like appearance and color, which are delicate parameters during food processing, are important determinants of product acceptance because of the growing trend toward more diverse and healthier diets worldwide, as well as the increase in population and its effects on food consumption. Cold plasma (CP), as a novel technology, has marked a new trend in agriculture and food processing due to the various advantages of meeting both the physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of food products with minimal changes in physical, chemical, nutritional, and sensorial properties. CP processing has a positive impact on food quality, including the preservation of natural food pigments. This article describes the influence of CP on natural food pigments and color changes in vegetables and fruits. Attributes of natural pigments, such as carotenoids, chlorophyll, anthocyanin, betalain, and myoglobin, are presented. In addition, the characteristics and mechanisms of CP processes were studied, and the effect of CP on mentioned pigments was investigated in recent literature, showing that the use of CP technology led to better preservation of pigments, improving their preservation and extraction yield. While certain modest and undesirable changes in color are documented, overall, the exposure of most food items to CP resulted in minor loss and even beneficial influence on color. More study is needed since not all elements of CP treatment are currently understood. The negative and positive effects of CP on natural food pigments in various products are discussed in this review.

Cold plasma application to fresh green leafy vegetables: Impact on microbiology and product quality

Fresh green leafy vegetables (FGLVs) are consumed either garden-fresh or by going through very few simple processing steps. For this reason, foodborne diseases that come with the consumption of fresh products in many countries have prioritized the development of new and reliable technologies to reduce food-related epidemics. Cold plasma (CP) is considered one of the sustainable and green processing approaches that inactivate target microorganisms without causing a significant temperature increase during processing. This review presents an overview of recent developments regarding the commercialization potential of CP-treated FGLVs, focusing on specific areas such as microbial inactivation and the influence of CP on product quality. The effect of CP differs according to the power of the plasma, frequency, gas flow rate, application time, ionizing gases composition, the distance between the electrodes and pressure, as well as the characteristics of the product. As well as microbial decontamination, CP offers significant potential for increasing the shelf life of perishable and short-shelf-life products. In addition, organizations actively involved in CP research and development and patent applications (2016-2022) have also been analyzed.

Application of essential oils as sanitizer alternatives on the postharvest washing of fresh produce

Growers commonly wash fresh produce with chemical sanitizers during postharvest handling. However, these sanitizers can be harsh to washing systems and pose a health risk to workers. Essential oils (EOs) can be used as alternatives to chemical sanitizers in produce washing. Previous studies reveal that the EOs from thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and clove are the main EOs evaluated in the studies as potential sanitizers for the washing of produce. The use of EOs and surfactants, such as tween80 and cetylpyridinium chloride, might be used to improve the antimicrobial activity of emulsions. However, studies are still required to evaluate the potential effect of different chemical components of EOs and preparations. Also, it is recommended that researchers focus on overcoming obstacles regarding EOs application in washing systems, including the high levels of EO required to reduce bacterial growth, undesired organoleptic impact on produce, and the poor solubility of EOs in aqueous solution.

Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract and/or Lactic Acid as Natural Preservatives on Physicochemical, Microbiological Properties, Antioxidant Activity, and Storage Stability of Khalal Barhi Date Fruits

The use of natural preservatives in the storage of fresh fruits is a promising approach to healthier and more sustainable food processing. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) and lactic acid (LA) as natural preservatives on the shelf life of Khalal Barhi date fruits. Physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, color parameters, texture profile, sensory characteristics, and microbiological quality of date fruits were evaluated during six weeks of cold storage (4 ± 1 °C). The bioactive compounds in PPE were determined by HPLC analysis, which showed that PPE is a rich source of bioactive compounds, particularly phenolics and flavonoids. The results exhibited decreased moisture content (from 68.36–68.43 to 62.13–63.11%) and an increased soluble solids content (from 27.16–27.24 to 31.45–33.91%) in all samples with prolonged storage. Likewise, a slight decrease in the pH (from 6.00–6.28 to 4.89–5.29) with an increase in acidity (from 0.12–0.14 to 0.23–0.27%) during storage was observed. Generally, treated samples showed lower changes in moisture content, soluble solids content, pH, and acidity than the control. A decrease in total phenolic content (TPC) (from 8.22–12.36 to 3.19–5.17 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activity (from 44.11–68.26 to 23.84–38.52%) of all samples was observed with progressed storage, meanwhile, the treatment with PPE significantly (p < 0.05) increased TPC with a concomitant increase in antioxidant activity and maintained higher values of both throughout storage. The results exhibited a decrease in L* (from 54.87–55.92 to 41.68–45.68) and b* (from 36.25–37.09 to 23.59–25.42) values of all samples, while the a* value of all samples increased (from 1.29–1.40 to 2.22–2.43) with storage. Dipping treatment in PPE solution improved the color, exhibited the lowest change in color parameters, and maintained better texture properties during storage. Similarly, sensory properties decreased (from 8.21–8.66 to 6.71–7.21) during storage with insignificant (p > 0.05) differences among samples. Dipping treatments inhibited the growth of yeasts and molds over time, with the lowest microbial count recorded in the PPE-treated samples. It can be concluded that PPE was found to have protective effects on Khalal Barhi date fruit quality by controlling post-harvest changes and lowering the microbial load.

Atmosferic pressure non-thermal plasma: Preliminary investigation

Antibacterial activity of atmosferic pressure non-thermal plasma (APNTP) was assessed for bacterial, yeast and mold strains. This investigation is to be considered preliminary: a second step is envisaged in which the efficacy of the technique and the device will be assessed directly on food of animal and plant origin. The strains (ATCC or wild type) of Listeria innocua, Escherichia coli, Salmonella thyphimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis (bacteria); Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Cladosporium herbarum, Fusarium graminearum, Geotrichum candidum, Penicillium roqueforti, Rhizopus nigricans (moulds); Candida parapsilosis and Candida albicans (yeasts) were subjected to plasma plume generated by the action of electric fields with a gas mixture (oxygen and helium) delivered for 5 min at a distance of 2 cm. Types of experiments were listed as following: microorganism at concentration 1×10^8 and 1×10⁴ cfu on PCA (Plate Count Agar); Listeria innocua and Salmonella thiphymurium at concentration 1×10^4 cfu on semi-synthetic and synthetic medium; mycetes (moulds and yeasts) at concentration 1×10^8 and 1×10^4 cfu on SDA (Sabouraud Dextrose Agar). The results obtained on the bacteria subjected to atmospheric cold plasma were evident on all the strains tested except for Proteus mirabilis (1×10^8 cfu), most evident at a concentration of 1×10^4 cfu, not only on culture media PCA but also on semi-synthetic medium and jelly meat-PCA medium. In spite of bacterial results, treatment with plasma plume did not decrease or inhibit of fungal growth. That means plasma plume was neither fungicidal nor fungistatic activities.

Multitarget preservation technologies for chemical-free sustainable meat processing

Due to the growing consumer demand for safe and naturally processed meats, the meat industry is seeking novel methods to produce safe-to-consume meat products without affecting their sensory appeal. The green technologies can maintain the sensory and nutritive characteristics and ensure the microbial safety of processed meats and, therefore, can help to reduce the use of chemical preservatives in meat products. The use of chemical additives, especially nitrites in processed meat products, has become controversial because they may form carcinogenic N-nitrosamines, a few of which are suspected as cancer precursors. Thus, the objective of reducing or eliminating nitrite is of great interest to meat researchers and industries. This review, for the first time, discusses the influence of processing technologies such as microwave, irradiation, high-pressure thermal processing (HPTP) and multitarget preservation technology on the quality characteristics of processed meats, with a focus on their sensory quality. These emerging technologies can help in the alleviation of ingoing nitrite or formed nitrosamine contents in meat products. The multitarget preservation technology is an innovative way to enhance the shelf life of meat products through the combined use of different technologies/natural additives. The challenges and opportunities associated with the use of these technologies for processing meat are also reviewed.

A comprehensive study on decontamination of food-borne microorganisms by cold plasma

Food-borne microorganisms are one of the biggest concern in food industry. Food-borne microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Hepatitis A are commonly found in food products and can cause severe ailments in human beings. Hence, disinfection of food is performed before packaging is performed to sterilize food. Traditional methods for disinfection of microorganisms are based on chemical, thermal, radiological and physical principles. They are highly successful, but they are complex and require more time and energy to accomplish the procedure. Cold plasma is a new technique in the field of food processing. CP treatments has no or very low effect on physical, chemical and nutritional properties of food products. This paper reviews the effect of plasma processing on food products such as change in colour, texture, pH level, protein, carbohydrate, and vitamins. Cold plasma by being a versatile, effective, economical and environmentally friendly method provides unique advantages over commercial food processing technologies for disinfection of food.

Surface Modification via Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Cold Plasma (DBD-ACP): Improved Functional Properties of Soy Protein Film

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP), a novel technology, has been widely adopted as an efficient approach in surface modification of the film. The effect of ACP treatment on the physicochemical and structural properties of soy protein film were investigated. As a result, the optimal conditions for the preparation of the film were determined for soy protein (10%), glycerol (2.8%), ACP treatment at 30 kV for 3 min, on the basis of elongation at the break, and water vapor permeability. Under the optimal conditions, the ACP–treated films exhibited enhanced polarity according to the increased values of solubility, swelling index, and moisture content, compared with the untreated counterpart. An increase in the hydrophilicity is also confirmed by the water contact angle analysis, which decreased from 87.9° to 77.2° after ACP pretreatment. Thermostability was also improved by ACP exposure in terms of DSC analysis. SEM images confirmed the tiny pores and cracks on the surface of film could be lessened by ACP pretreatment. Variations in the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that some hydrophilic groups were formed by ACP pretreatment. Atomic force microscopy data revealed that the roughness of soy protein film which was pretreated by ACP was lower than that of the control group, with an Rmax value of 88.4 nm and 162.7 nm for the ACP- treated and untreated samples, respectively. The soy protein film was characterized structurally by FT–IR and DSC, and morphological characterization was done by SEM and AFM. The soy protein film modified by ACP was more stable than the control group. Hence, the great potential in improving the properties of the film enables ACP treatment to be a feasible and promising alternative to other modification methods.

Recent trends and technological development in plasma as an emerging and promising technology for food biosystems

The rising need for wholesome, fresh, safe and “minimally-processed” foods has led to pioneering research activities in the emerging non-thermal technology of food processing. Cold plasma is such an innovative and promising technology that offers several potential applications in the food industry. It uses the highly reactive, energetic and charged gas molecules and species to decontaminate the food and package surfaces and preserve the foods without causing thermal damage to the nutritional and quality attributes of food. Cold plasma technology showed promising results about the inactivation of pathogens in the food industry without affecting the food quality. It is highly effective for surface decontamination of fruits and vegetables, but extensive research is required before its commercial utilization. Recent patents are focused on the applications of cold plasma in food processing and preservation. However, further studies are strongly needed to scale up this technology for future commercialization and understand plasma physics for getting better results and expand the applications and benefits. This review summarizes the emerging trends of cold plasma along with its recent applications in the food industry to extend shelf life and improve the quality of food. It also gives an overview of plasma generation and principles including mechanism of action. Further, the patents based on cold plasma technology have also been highlighted comprehensively for the first time.

Cold plasma technology: An insight on its disinfection efficiency of various food systems

Cold plasma technology is considered as one of the novel potential non-thermal techniques for food disinfection. The acceptability of any food product depends upon its physicochemical properties and shelf life. Recent studies have confirmed that plasma can effectively reduce the pathogenic microbes in various food systems. Further, there are reports that cold plasma showed minimal or no effect on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the foods owing to its low-temperature operation. The present review explores the recent reports on cold plasma technology emphasizing its disinfection efficacy on different food categories. Various researchers have demonstrated that plasma successfully reduced the microorganisms on cereals, milk, meat, fish and spices. Therefore, based on the current research, it can be suggested that cold plasma is an effective disinfectant technology for the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms, and its non-thermal and environmentally friendly nature is an added advantage over traditional processing technologies.

Effect of Non-thermal Atmospheric Plasma on Viability and Histamine-Producing Activity of Psychotrophic Bacteria in Mackerel Fillets

Non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) has gained attention as a decontamination and shelf-life extension technology. In this study its effect on psychrotrophic histamine-producing bacteria (HPB) and histamine formation in fish stored at 0–5°C was evaluated. Mackerel filets were artificially inoculated with Morganella psychrotolerans and Photobacterium phosphoreum and exposed to NTAP to evaluate its effect on their viability and the histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity in broth cultures and the accumulation of histamine in fish samples, stored on melting ice or at fridge temperature (5°C). NTAP treatment was made under wet conditions for 30 min, using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The voltage output was characterized by a peak-to-peak value of 13.8 kV (fundamental frequency around 12.7 KHz). This treatment resulted in a significant reduction of the number of M. psychrotolerans and P. phosphoreum (≈3 log cfu/cm²) on skin samples that have been prewashed with surfactant (SDS) or SDS and lactic acid. A marked reduction of their histamine-producing potential was also observed in HDC broth incubated at either 20 or 5°C. Lower accumulation of histamine was observed in NTAP-treated mackerel filets that have been inoculated with M. psychrotolerans or P. phosphoreum and pre-washed with either normal saline or SDS solution (0.05% w/v) and stored at 5°C for 10 days. Mean histamine level in treated and control groups for the samples inoculated with either M. psychrotolerans or P. phosphoreum (≈5 log cfu/g) varied from 7 to 32 and from 49 to 66 μg/g, respectively. No synergistic effect of SDS was observed in the challenge test on meat samples. Any detectable amount of histamine was produced in the meat samples held at melting ice temperature (0–2°C) for 7 days. The effects of NTAP on the quality properties of mackerel’s filets were negligible, whereas its effect on the psychrotrophic HPB might be useful when time and environmental conditions are challenging for the cool-keeping capacity throughout the transport/storage period.

The impact of food model system structure on the inactivation of Listeria innocua by cold atmospheric plasma and nisin combined treatments

Novel processing methods such as cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and natural antimicrobials like nisin, are of interest to replace traditional food decontamination approaches as, due to their mild nature, they can maintain desirable food characteristics, i.e., taste, texture, and nutritional content. However, the microbial growth characteristics (planktonic growth/surface colonies) and/or the food structure itself (liquid/solid surface) can impact the inactivation efficacy of these novel processing methods. More specifically, cells grown as colonies on a solid(like) surface experience a completely different growth environment to cells grown planktonically in liquid, and thus could display a different response to novel processing treatments through stress adaptation and/or cross protection mechanisms. The order in which combined treatments are applied could also impact their efficacy, especially if the mechanisms of action are complementary. This work presents a fundamental study on the efficacy of CAP and nisin, alone and combined, as affected by food system structure. More specifically, Listeria innocua was grown planktonically (liquid broth) or on a viscoelastic Xanthan gum gel system (1.5% w/v) and treated with CAP, nisin, or a combination of the two. Both the inactivation system, i.e., liquid versus solid(like) surface and the growth characteristics, i.e., planktonic versus colony growth, were shown to impact the treatment efficacy. The combination of nisin and CAP was more effective than individual treatments, but only when nisin was applied before the CAP treatment. This study provides insight into the environmental stress response/adaptation of L. innocua grown on structured systems in response to natural antimicrobials and novel processing technologies, and is a step towards the faster delivery of these food decontamination methods from the bench to the food industry.

Potential of Cold Plasma Technology in Ensuring the Safety of Foods and Agricultural Produce: A Review

Cold plasma (CP) is generated when an electrical energy source is applied to a gas, resulting in the production of several reactive species such as ultraviolet photons, charged particles, radicals and other reactive nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen species. CP is a novel, non-thermal technology that has shown great potential for food decontamination and has also generated a lot of interest recently for a wide variety of food processing applications. This review discusses the potential use of CP in mainstream food applications to ensure food safety. The review focuses on the design elements of cold plasma technology, mode of action of CP, and types of CP technologies applicable to food applications. The applications of CP by the food industry have been demonstrated for food decontamination, pesticide residue removal, enzyme inactivation, toxin removal, and food packaging modifications. Particularly for food processing, CP is effective against major foodborne pathogenic micro-organisms such as Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium, Tulane virus in romaine lettuce, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni, and Salmonella spp. in meat and meat products, and fruits and vegetables. However, some limitations such as lipid oxidation in fish, degradation of the oligosaccharides in the juice have been reported with the use of CP, and for these reasons, further research is needed to mitigate these negative effects. Furthermore, more research is needed to maximize its potential.

The Effects of Plasma on Plant Growth, Development, and Sustainability

Cold atmospheric or low pressure plasma has activation effects on seed germination, plant growth and development, and plant sustainability, and prior experimental studies showing these effects are summarized in this review. The accumulated data indicate that the reactive species generated by cold plasma at atmospheric or low pressure may be involved in changing and activating the physical and chemical properties, physiology, and biochemical and molecular processes in plants, which enhances germination, growth, and sustainability. Although laboratory and field experiments are still required, plasma may represent a tool for efficient adaptation to changes in the climate and agricultural environments.

Synergistic bactericidal effect of clove oil and encapsulated atmospheric pressure plasma against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus and its mechanism of action

We investigated the bactericidal effect of clove oil and encapsulated atmospheric pressure plasma (EAP), individually or in combination, against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. The bactericidal effect of the combined treatment was also investigated in inoculated beef jerky. For both pathogens, clove oil and EAP single treatments resulted in less than 3.0-log reductions, whereas the combined treatment resulted in more than 7.5-log reductions. The disc-diffusion assay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed no changes in both the clear zone diameter and chemical composition of clove oil before and after the EAP treatment. Significant changes in cell membrane permeability and cell morphology resulting from the combined treatment of clove oil and EAP were evidenced by increased in UV absorption of cell supernatants, increased cell staining with propidium iodide, and changes in cell structure revealed by transmission electron microscopy. The synergistic bactericidal effects of clove oil and EAP against both pathogens were also observed in inoculated beef jerky, but the treatments were less effective against S. aureus, presumably due to thicker peptidoglycan layer. Experiments also demonstrated that the synergistic bactericidal effects between clove oil and EAP are due to clove oil increasing the susceptibility of the bacteria to subsequent EAP treatment, and does not involve alteration of the antibacterial activity of clove oil by EAP.

Evaluation of a sanitizing washing step with different chemical disinfectants for the strawberry processing industry

Strawberries are often consumed fresh or only receive minimal processing, inducing a significant health risk to the consumer if contamination occurs anywhere from farm to fork. Outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with strawberries often involve a broad range of microbiological agents, from viruses (human norovirus) to bacteria (Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes). The addition of sanitizers to water washes is one of the most commonly studied strategies to remove or inactivate pathogens on berries as well as avoid cross contamination due to reuse of process wash water. The risk posed with the safety issues of by-products from chlorine disinfection in the fruit industry has led to a search for alternative sanitizers. We evaluated the applicability of different chemical sanitizers (peracetic acid (PA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), citric acid (CA), lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA)) for the inactivation of S. enterica, L. monocytogenes and murine norovirus (MNV-1) on strawberries. A control treatment with chlorine (NaClO) (100 ppm) was included. For each sanitizer, different doses (40, 80 and 120 ppm for PA and 1, 2.5 and 5% for H₂O₂, LA, AA and CA) and time (2 and 5 min) were studied in order to optimize the decontamination washing step. The best concentrations were 80 ppm for PA, 5% for H₂O₂ and 2.5% for organic acids (LA, AA and CA) after 2 min treatment. Results indicate that the sanitizers selected may be a feasible alternative to chlorine (100 ppm) for removing selected pathogenic microorganisms (P > 0.05), with reductions about ≥2 log for bacterial strains and ≥ 1.7 log for MNV-1. As the washing water may also increase the microbial counts by cross-contamination, we observed that no pathogenic bacteria were found in wash water after 5% H₂O₂ and 80 ppm PA after 2 min treatment. On the other hand, we also reported reductions about total aerobic mesophyll (TAM) (0.0-1.4 log CFU/g) and molds and yeasts (M&Y) (0.3-1.8 log CFU/g) with all alternative sanitizers tested. Strawberries treated did not shown significant differences about physio-chemical parameters compared to the untreated samples (initial). For this study, the optimal sanitizer selected was PA, due to the low concentration and cost needed and its microbiocidal effect in wash water and fruit. Notwithstanding the results obtained, the effect of PA in combination with other non-thermal technologies such as water-assisted ultraviolet (UV-C) light should be studied in future research to improve the disinfection of strawberries.

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens by the synergistic combinations of food processing technologies and food-grade compounds

There is a need to develop food processing technologies with enhanced antimicrobial capacity against foodborne pathogens. While considering the challenges of adequate inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms in different food matrices, the emerging technologies are also expected to be sustainable and have a minimum impact on food quality and nutrients. Synergistic combinations of food processing technologies and food-grade compounds have a great potential to address these needs. During these combined treatments, food processes directly or indirectly interact with added chemicals, intensifying the overall antimicrobial effect. This review provides an overview of the combinations of different thermal or nonthermal processes with a variety of food-grade compounds that show synergistic antimicrobial effect against pathogenic microorganisms in foods and model systems. Further, we summarize the underlying mechanisms for representative combined treatments that are responsible for the enhanced microbial inactivation. Finally, regulatory issues and challenges for further development and technical transfer of these new approaches at the industrial level are also discussed.

Effectiveness of different antimicrobial washes combined with freezing against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated on blueberries

To ensure the safety of produce, including blueberries, elimination of potential pathogens is critical. This study evaluated the efficacy of antimicrobial washes when coupled with frozen storage against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes on wild blueberries. Inoculated blueberries were sprayed with antimicrobial solutions at different concentrations for various contact times (chlorine dioxide -2.5, 5, 10, and 15 ppm for 10 s, 1, 5, and 10 min; chlorine -100, 150, and 200 ppm for 10s, 1, 5, and 10 min; lactic acid 1 and 2% for 5, 10 and 20 min) and following treatment, stored at -12 °C for 1 week. Compared to antimicrobial washing alone, the additional freezing significantly reduced pathogens (P < 0.05). Concentrations of all three antimicrobials combined with freezing reduced L. monocytogenes to undetectable levels (detection limit < 1 log CFU/g). The greatest reduction of E. coli O157:H7 (4.4 log CFU/g) and Salmonella (5.4 log CFU/g) was achieved by 2% lactic acid or 200 ppm Cl₂ followed with frozen storage. These antimicrobials maintained the visual quality of blueberries and did not leave detectable residues. In conclusion, antimicrobial washes, when combined with frozen storage, effectively reduce the risk of pathogen contamination on blueberries.

Effects of Cold Plasma on Food Quality: A Review

Cold plasma (CP) technology has proven very effective as an alternative tool for food decontamination and shelf-life extension. The impact of CP on food quality is very crucial for its acceptance as an alternative food processing technology. Due to the non-thermal nature, CP treatments have shown no or minimal impacts on the physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory attributes of various products. This review also discusses the negative impacts and limitations posed by CP technology for food products. The limited studies on interactions of CP species with food components at the molecular level offers future research opportunities. It also highlights the need for optimization studies to mitigate the negative impacts on visual, chemical, nutritional and functional properties of food products. The design versatility, non-thermal, economical and environmentally friendly nature of CP offers unique advantages over traditional processing technologies. However, CP processing is still in its nascent form and needs further research to reach its potential.