Atmospheric cold plasma: A potential technology to control Shewanella putrefaciens in stored shrimp

Natural phenolic compounds: Antimicrobial properties, antimicrobial mechanisms, and potential utilization in the preservation of aquatic products

Natural antibacterials have stood out in the last decade due to the growing demand for reducing chemical preservatives in food. In particular, natural phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites produced by plants for numerous functions including antimicrobial defence. Polyphenol has significant antimicrobial activity, but its antimicrobial properties are affected by the cell structure difference of bacteria, the concentration, type, and extraction method of polyphenol, and the treatment time of bacteria exposed to polyphenol. Therefore, this paper analyzed the antibacterial activity and mechanism of polyphenol as an antimicrobial agent. However, there remained significant considerations, including the interaction of polyphenols and food matrix, environmental temperature, and the effect of color and odor of some polyphenols on sensory properties of aquatic products, and the additive amount of polyphenols. On this basis, the application strategies of polyphenols as the antimicrobial agent in aquatic products preservation were reviewed.

Advancements in nonthermal physical field technologies for prefabricated aquatic food: A comprehensive review

Aquatic foods are nutritious, enjoyable, and highly favored by consumers. In recent years, young consumers have shown a preference for prefabricated food due to its convenience, nutritional value, safety, and increasing market share. However, aquatic foods are prone to microbial spoilage due to their high moisture content, protein content, and unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, traditional processing methods of aquatic foods can lead to issues such as protein denaturation, lipid peroxidation, and other food safety and nutritional health problems. Therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring new technologies that can achieve a balance between antimicrobial efficiency and food quality. This review examines the mechanisms of cold plasma, high-pressure processing, photodynamic inactivation, pulsed electric field treatment, and ultraviolet irradiation. It also summarizes the research progress in nonthermal physical field technologies and their application combined with other technologies in prefabricated aquatic food. Additionally, the review discusses the current trends and developments in the field of prefabricated aquatic foods. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical basis for the development of new technologies and their implementation in the industrial production of prefabricated aquatic food.

Cold atmospheric plasma fumigation suppresses postharvest apple Botrytis cinerea by triggering intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial calcium

Infection by Botrytis cinerea poses a great threat to the postharvest life of apple fruit. In this study, the effects of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) fumigation on apple B. cinerea under different exposure times and intensities were investigated. The growth of B. cinerea in vitro and in vivo was significantly suppressed by the CAP fumigation at least 700 μL/L for 5 min. To reveal the possible mechanism of antifungal activity of CAP fumigation, the pathogen was exposed to 700 μL/L and 1000 μL/L for 5 min, respectively. The results indicated that the CAP-treated spores of the pathogen underwent shrinkage, cell membrane collapse and cytoplasmic vacuolation. The results obtained from the fluorescent probe assay and flow cytometry indicated that CAP caused the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the elevation of mitochondrial and intracellular Ca2+ levels, and the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential of the pathogen. Investigation on statues of cell life showed that typical hallmarks of apoptosis in the CAP-treated B. cinerea spores occurred, as indicted by a large degree of increased phosphatidylserine externalization, dysfunction of membrane permeability, DNA fragmentation, distortion of morphology, chromatin condensation, and metacaspase activation observed in B. cinerea spores after CAP fumigation. Overall, CAP fumigation triggered a metacaspase-dependent apoptosis of B. cinerea spores mediated by intracellular ROS burst and Ca2+ elevation via mitochondrial dysfunction and disruption, and therefore reduced the pathogenicity of B. cinerea and suppressed postharvest Botrytis rot of apple fruit. These results would provide an insight into the underlying mechanism of CAP fumigation acting on the pathogen. The CAP fumigation makes much convenient application of CAP in storage environment to deactivate microorganism.