Recent Advances in Plasma Technology: Influence of Atmospheric Cold Plasma on Spore Inactivation

Cold plasma: Unveiling its impact on hydration, rheology, nutritional, and anti-nutritional properties in food materials - An overview

Non-thermal technologies, primarily employed for microbial inactivation and quality preservation in foods, have seen a surge in interest, with non-thermal plasma garnering particular attention. Cold plasma exhibits promising outcomes, including enhanced germination, improved functional and rheological properties, and microorganism destruction. This has sparked increased exploration across various domains, notably in hydration and rheological properties for creating new products. This review underscores the manifold benefits of applying cold plasma to diverse food materials, such as cereal and millet flours, and gums. Notable improvements encompass enhanced functionality, modified color parameters, altered rheological properties, and reduced anti-nutritional factors. The review delves into mechanisms like starch granule fragmentation, elucidating how these processes enhance the physical and structural properties of food materials. While promising for high-quality food development, overcoming challenges in scaling up production and addressing legal issues is essential for the technology's commercialization.

Insights into Cold Plasma Treatment on the Cereal and Legume Proteins Modification: Principle, Mechanism, and Application

Cereal and legume proteins, pivotal for human health, significantly influence the quality and stability of processed foods. Despite their importance, the inherent limited functional properties of these natural proteins constrain their utility across various sectors, including the food, packaging, and pharmaceutical industries. Enhancing functional attributes of cereal and legume proteins through scientific and technological interventions is essential to broadening their application. Cold plasma (CP) technology, characterized by its non-toxic, non-thermal nature, presents numerous benefits such as low operational temperatures, lack of external chemical reagents, and cost-effectiveness. It holds the promise of improving proteins' functionality while maximally retaining their nutritional content. This review delves into the pros and cons of different cold plasma generation techniques, elucidates the underlying mechanisms of protein modification via CP, and thoroughly examines research on the application of cold plasma in augmenting the functional properties of proteins. The aim is to furnish theoretical foundations for leveraging CP technology in the modification of cereal and legume proteins, thereby enhancing their practical applicability in diverse industries.

Optimization of cold plasma combined treatment process and its effect on the quality of Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) during refrigerated storage

BACKGROUND

Cold plasma exhibits broad applicability in the realm of fish sterilization and preservation. The combination process of plasma-activated water and dielectric barrier discharge (PAW-DBD) was optimized, and its disinfection effects on bass fillets were studied.

RESULTS

The best conditions for disinfection of PAW-DBD were as follows. Bass fillets were soaked in PAW for 150 s, and then treated by DBD system at 160 kV for 180 s. The total viable count (TVC) reduced by 1.68 log CFU g-1 . On the 15th day of refrigerated storage, TVC of PAW-DBD group was 7.01 log CFU g-1 , while the PAW and DBD group exhibited a TVC of 7.02 and 7.01 log CFU g-1 on day 12; the TVC of the control group was 7.13 log CFU g-1 on day 6. The sensory score, water-holding capacity, and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values of the PAW-DBD group were significantly higher than those of PAW and DBD group (P < 0.05), whereas the TVC, Pseudomonas spp. count, and pH of the group were significantly lower (P < 0.05) during refrigerated storage.

CONCLUSION

PAW-DBD treatment can enhance the disinfection effect, maintain good quality, and extend the storage period of bass fillets. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bactericidal efficacy difference between air and nitrogen cold atmospheric plasma on Bacillus cereus: Inactivation mechanism of Gram-positive bacteria at the cellular and molecular level

As an emerging food processing technology, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has attracted great attention in the field of microbial inactivation. Although CAP has been proven to effectively inactivate a variety of foodborne pathogens, there is less research on the inactivation of Bacillus cereus, and the exact inactivation mechanism is still unclear. Elucidating the inactivation mechanism will help to develop and optimize this sterilization method, with the prospective application in industrialized food production. This study aims to explore the bactericidal efficacy difference between air and nitrogen CAP on B. cereus, a typical Gram-positive bacterium, and reveals the inactivation mechanism of CAP at the cellular and molecular level, by observing the change of the cell membrane, cell morphological damage, intracellular antioxidant enzyme activity and cellular biomacromolecules changes. The results showed that both air CAP and nitrogen CAP could effectively inactivate B. cereus, which was due to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated by the plasma causing bacterial death. The damage pathways of CAP on Gram-positive bacteria could be explained by disrupting the bacterial cell membrane and cell morphology, disturbing the intracellular redox homeostasis, and destroying biomacromolecules in the cells. The differences in active species generated by the plasma were the main reason for the different bactericidal efficiencies of air CAP and nitrogen CAP, where air CAP producing RONS with stronger oxidative capacity in a shorter time. This study indicates that air CAP is an effective, inexpensive and green technology for B. cereus inactivation, providing a basis for industrial application in food processing.

The Effectiveness of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) on Bacterial Reduction in Dental Implants: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The emergence of dental implants has revolutionized the management of tooth loss. However, the placement of clinical implants exposes them to complex oral environment and numerous microscopic entities, such as bacteria. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is often used to treat the surfaces of dental implants, which alters morphological features and effectively reduces bacterial load.

PURPOSE

This systematic review aims to assess the existing literature on the bactericidal properties of CAP when used on various kinds of dental implant surfaces.

REVIEW METHOD

An in-depth examination of MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE was performed to identify relevant studies, with the most recent search conducted in May 2023. Studies were selected based on their exploration of CAP's effects on dental implants compared to control groups, focusing on CAP's bactericidal efficacy. However, studies that lacked a control group or that failed to measure bactericidal effects were excluded.

RESULTS

After applying the selection criteria, 15 studies were ultimately included in the systematic review. The collected data suggest that CAP can effectively reduce bacterial loads on dental implant surfaces, including pathogens like Streptococcus mitis and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, CAP appears to combat biofilms and plaques that are key contributors to periimplantitis.

CONCLUSION

CAP emerges as a promising treatment option, exhibiting significant bactericidal activity on dental implant surfaces. CAP can decrease the rates of bacterial biofilm and plaque formation, leading to improved outcomes for dental implant patients.

Advances in the application of functional nanomaterial and cold plasma for the fresh-keeping active packaging of meat

The most recent advancements in food science and technology include cold sterilization of food and fresh-keeping packaging. Active packaging technology has received much interest due to the photocatalytic activity (PCA) of functional nanoparticles, including titanium dioxide (TiO2) and ferric oxide (Fe2O3). However, there are still significant concerns about the toxicity and safety of these functional nanoparticles. This review emphasizes the bacteriostatic and fresh-keeping properties of functional nanoparticles as well as their packaging strategies using the ultraviolet photo-catalysis effect. High-voltage electric field cold plasma (HVEF-CP) is the most innovative method of cold-sterilizing food. HVEF-CP sterilizes by producing photoelectrons, ions, and active free radicals on food media, which come into contact with the bacteria's surface and destroy their cells. Next, this review also assesses the photocatalytic activity and bacteriostasis kinetics of nanosized TiO2 and Fe2O3 in poultry, beef, and lamb. In addition, this review also emphasizes the importance of exploiting the complex interaction processes between TiO2 and Fe2O3, along with dietary components and their utilization in the fresh meat industry.

Mycotoxins and consumers' awareness: Recent progress and future challenges

While food shortages have become an important challenge, providing safe food resources is a point of interest on a global scale. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are formed through various fungi species. They are mainly spread through diets such as food or beverages. About one quarter of the world's food is spoiled with mycotoxins. As this problem is not resolved, it represents a significant threat to global food security. Besides the current concerns regarding the contamination of food items by these metabolites, the lack of knowledge by consumers and their possible growth and toxin production attracted considerable attention. While globalization provides a favorite condition for some countries, food security still is challenging for most countries. There are various approaches to reducing the mycotoxigenic fungi growth and formation of mycotoxins in food, include as physical, chemical, and biological processes. The current article will focus on collecting data regarding consumers' awareness of mycotoxins. Furthermore, a critical overview and comparison among different preventative approaches to reduce risk by consumers will be discussed. Finally, the current effect of mycotoxins on global trade, besides future challenges faced by mycotoxin contamination on food security, will be discussed briefly.

A comprehensive review on infant formula: nutritional and functional constituents, recent trends in processing and its impact on infants' gut microbiota

Human milk is considered the most valuable form of nutrition for infants for their growth, development and function. So far, there are still some cases where feeding human milk is not feasible. As a result, the market for infant formula is widely increasing, and formula feeding become an alternative or substitute for breastfeeding. The nutritional value of the formula can be improved by adding functional bioactive compounds like probiotics, prebiotics, human milk oligosaccharides, vitamins, minerals, taurine, inositol, osteopontin, lactoferrin, gangliosides, carnitine etc. For processing of infant formula, diverse thermal and non-thermal technologies have been employed. Infant formula can be either in powdered form, which requires reconstitution with water or in ready-to-feed liquid form, among which powder form is readily available, shelf-stable and vastly marketed. Infants' gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem and the nutrient composition of infant formula is recognized to have a lasting effect on it. Likewise, the gut microbiota establishment closely parallels with host immune development and growth. Therefore, it must be contemplated as an important factor for consideration while developing formulas. In this review, we have focused on the formulation and manufacturing of safe and nutritious infant formula equivalent to human milk or aligning with the infant's needs and its ultimate impact on infants' gut microbiota.

Physical Treatments to Control Clostridium botulinum Hazards in Food

Clostridium botulinum produces Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), causing a rare but potentially deadly type of food poisoning called foodborne botulism. This review aims to provide information on the bacterium, spores, toxins, and botulisms, and describe the use of physical treatments (e.g., heating, pressure, irradiation, and other emerging technologies) to control this biological hazard in food. As the spores of this bacterium can resist various harsh environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, the thermal inactivation of 12-log of C. botulinum type A spores remains the standard for the commercial sterilization of food products. However, recent advancements in non-thermal physical treatments present an alternative to thermal sterilization with some limitations. Low- (<2 kGy) and medium (3-5 kGy)-dose ionizing irradiations are effective for a log reduction of vegetative cells and spores, respectively; however, very high doses (>10 kGy) are required to inactivate BoNTs. High-pressure processing (HPP), even at 1.5 GPa, does not inactivate the spores and requires heat combination to achieve its goal. Other emerging technologies have also shown some promise against vegetative cells and spores; however, their application to C. botulinum is very limited. Various factors related to bacteria (e.g., vegetative stage, growth conditions, injury status, type of bacteria, etc.) food matrix (e.g., compositions, state, pH, temperature, aw, etc.), and the method (e.g., power, energy, frequency, distance from the source to target, etc.) influence the efficacy of these treatments against C. botulinum. Moreover, the mode of action of different physical technologies is different, which provides an opportunity to combine different physical treatment methods in order to achieve additive and/or synergistic effects. This review is intended to guide the decision-makers, researchers, and educators in using physical treatments to control C. botulinum hazards.

Targeting the Impossible: A Review of New Strategies against Endospores

Endospore-forming bacteria are ubiquitous, and their endospores can be present in food, in domestic animals, and on contaminated surfaces. Many spore-forming bacteria have been used in biotechnological applications, while others are human pathogens responsible for a wide range of critical clinical infections. Due to their resistant properties, it is challenging to eliminate spores and avoid the reactivation of latent spores that may lead to active infections. Furthermore, endospores play an essential role in the survival, transmission, and pathogenesis of some harmful strains that put human and animal health at risk. Thus, different methods have been applied for their eradication. Nevertheless, natural products are still a significant source for discovering and developing new antibiotics. Moreover, targeting the spore for clinical pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile is essential to disease prevention and therapeutics. These strategies could directly aim at the structural components of the spore or their germination process. This work summarizes the current advances in upcoming strategies and the development of natural products against endospores. This review also intends to highlight future perspectives in research and applications.

Changing the IgE Binding Capacity of Tropomyosin in Shrimp through Structural Modification Induced by Cold Plasma and Glycation Treatment

Tropomyosin (TM) is the major allergen of shrimp (Penaeus chinensis). Previous studies showed that separate cold plasma or glycation have their drawback in reducing allergenicity of TM, including effectiveness and reliability. In the current study, a new processing combining cold plasma (CP) and glycation was proposed and its effect on changing IgE binding capacity of TM from shrimp was investigated. Obtained results showed the IgE binding capacity of TM was reduced by up to 40% after CP (dielectric barrier discharge, 60 kV, 1.0 A) combined with glycation treatment (4 h, 80 °C), compared with the less than 5% reduction after single CP or glycation treatment. Notably, in contrast to the general way of CP prompting glycation, this study devised a new mode of glycation with ribose after CP pretreatment. The structural changes of TM were explored to explain the decreased IgE binding reactivity. The results of multi-spectroscopies showed that the secondary and tertiary structures of TM were further destroyed after combined treatment, including the transformation of 50% α-helix to β-sheet and random coils, the modification and exposure of aromatic amino acids, and the increase of surface hydrophobicity. The morphology analysis using atomic force microscope revealed that the combined processing made the distribution of TM particles tend to disperse circularly, while it would aggregate after either processing treatment alone. These findings confirmed the unfolding and reaggregation of TM during combined processing treatment, which may result in the remarkable reduction of IgE binding ability. Therefore, the processing of CP pretreatment combined with glycation has the potential to reduce or even eliminate the allergenicity of seafood.

Applications of atmospheric cold plasma in agricultural, medical, and bioprocessing industries

Abstract

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a nonthermal technology that is extensively used in several industries. Within the scopes of engineering and biotechnology, some notable applications of ACP include waste management, material modification, medicine, and agriculture. Notwithstanding numerous applications, ACP still encounters a number of challenges such as diverse types of plasma generators and sizes, causing standardization challenges. This review focuses on the uses of ACP in engineering and biotechnology sectors in which the innovation can positively impact the operation process, enhance safety, and reduce cost. Additionally, its limitations are examined. Since ACP is still in its nascent stage, the review will also propose potential research opportunities that can help scientists gain more insights on the technology.

Key points

• ACP technology has been used in agriculture, medical, and bioprocessing industries.

• Chemical study on the reactive species is crucial to produce function-specific ACP.

• Different ACP devices and conditions still pose standardization problems.

Inactivation efficacy and mechanisms of atmospheric cold plasma on Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris: Insight into the influence of growth temperature on survival

The bactericidal effect of dielectric barrier discharge-atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP, 20, and 30 kV) against Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris on the saline solution and apple juice was investigated. Results show that DBD-ACP is effective for the inactivation of A. acidoterrestris by causing significant changes in cell membrane permeability and bacterial morphology. The effect of culture temperatures on the resistance of A. acidoterrestris to DBD-ACP was also studied. A. acidoterrestris cells grown at 25°C had the lowest resistance but it was gradually increased as the culture temperature was increased (25–45°C) (p < 0.05). Moreover, results from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis showed that the increase in the culture temperature can gradually cause the decreased level of cyclohexaneundecanoic acid in the cell membrane of A. acidoterrestris (p < 0.05). In contrast, cyclopentaneundecanoic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid showed an increasing trend in which the fluidity of the bacterial cell membrane decreased. This study shows a specific correlation between the resistance of A. acidoterrestris and the fatty acid composition of the cell membrane to DBD-ACP.

Research on Wire-to-Two Fin Configuration for Positive Atmospheric Plasma by Electrokinetic Blower

Interest in the development of electro-fluid-dynamic devices (EFDs) based on corona discharge is growing due to their advantages and applicability across different industrial sectors. On the one hand, their performance as forced convection motors, in terms of weight, volume, and absence of noise and moving parts, make them competitive against traditional systems such as fans. On the other hand, the actions of the corona discharge, in terms of elimination of viruses and bacteria, are already known. This paper studies the characteristics of corona discharge in terms of air flow for a new proposed configuration and geometry of electrodes. A systematic study is performed through a parametric study of the distances, power consumption, and size of the corona electrode. The characteristic voltage–current (CVCCs) and flow–pressure curves obtained provide design rules to use the generated corona discharge and the device itself, as a silent air propeller, which may also sterilize the surrounding environment and surfaces.

Emerging Trends for Nonthermal Decontamination of Raw and Processed Meat: Ozonation, High-Hydrostatic Pressure and Cold Plasma

Meat may contain natural, spoilage, and pathogenic microorganisms based on the origin and characteristics of its dietary matrix. Several decontamination substances are used during or after meat processing, which include chlorine, organic acids, inorganic phosphates, benzoates, propionates, bacteriocins, or oxidizers. Unfortunately, traditional decontamination methods are often problematic because of their adverse impact on the quality of the raw carcass or processed meat. The extended shelf-life of foods is a response to the pandemic trend, whereby consumers are more likely to choose durable products that can be stored for a longer period between visits to food stores. This includes changing purchasing habits from “just in time” products “for now” to “just in case” products, a trend that will not fade away with the end of the pandemic. To address these concerns, novel carcass-decontamination technologies, such as ozone, high-pressure processing and cold atmospheric plasma, together with active and clean label ingredients, have been investigated for their potential applications in the meat industry. Processing parameters, such as exposure time and processing intensity have been evaluated for each type of matrix to achieve the maximum reduction of spoilage microorganism counts without affecting the physicochemical, organoleptic, and functional characteristics of the meat products. Furthermore, combined impact (hurdle concept) was evaluated to enhance the understanding of decontamination efficiency without undesirable changes in the meat products. Most of these technologies are beneficial as they are cost-effective, chemical-free, eco-friendly, easy to use, and can treat foods in sealed packages, preventing the product from post-process contamination. Interestingly, their synergistic combination with other hurdle approaches can help to substitute the use of chemical food preservatives, which is an aspect that is currently quite desirable in the majority of consumers. Nonetheless, some of these techniques are difficult to store, requiring a large capital investment for their installation, while a lack of certification for industrial utilization is also problematic. In addition, most of them suffer from a lack of sufficient data regarding their mode of action for inactivating microorganisms and extending shelf-life stability, necessitating a need for further research in this area.

Thermal treatment alternatives for enzymes inactivation in fruit juices: Recent breakthroughs and advancements

Fruit juices (FJs) are frequently taken owing to their nutritious benefits, appealing flavour, and vibrant colour. The colours of the FJs are critical indicators of the qualitative features that influence the consumer's attention. Although FJs' intrinsic acidity serves as a barrier to bacterial growth, their enzymatic stability remains an issue for their shelf life. Inactivation of enzymes is critical during FJ processing, and selective inactivation is the primary focus of enzyme inactivation. The merchants, on the other hand, want the FJs to stay stable. The most prevalent technique of processing FJ is by conventional heat treatment, which degrades its nutritive value and appearance. The FJ processing industry has undergone a dramatic transformation from thermal treatments to nonthermal treatments (NTTs) during the past two decades to meet the requirements for microbiological and enzymatic stability. The manufacturers want safe and stable FJs, while buyers want high-quality FJs. According to the past investigation, NTTs have the potential to manufacture microbiologically safe and enzymatically stable FJs with low loss of bioactive components. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that different NTTs combined with or without other NTTs or mild heating as a hurdle technology increase the synergistic effect for microbiological safety and stability of FJs. Concise information about the variables that affect NTTs' action mode has also been addressed. Primary inactivates enzymes by modifying the protein structure and active site conformation. NTTs may increase enzyme activity depending on the nature of the enzyme contained in FJs, the applied pressure, pH, temperature, and treatment period. This is due to the release of membrane-bound enzymes as well as changes in protein structure and active sites that allow substrate interaction. Additionally, the combination of several NTTs as a hurdle technology, as well as temperature and treatment periods, resulted in increased enzyme inactivation in FJs. Therefore, a combination of thermal and non-thermal technologies is suggested to increase the effectiveness of the process as well as preserve the juice quality.

Effect of the Application of Cold Plasma Energy on the Inactivation of Microorganisms, Proteins, and Lipids Deterioration in Adobera Cheese

Cheeses are perishable foods that must fulfill sanitary and quality requirements according to the parameters established globally. Plasma as a nonthermal inactivation technique has been a current research topic for food preservation, so the objective of this work was to study the effect of plasma energy against microorganisms in Adobera cheese (traditional Mexican cheese) as well as evaluate the possible degradation of lipids and protein. 108 CFU/mL of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella ATCC13076, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 were inoculated at 0.5 g of Adobera cheese and were subjected to an energy of 30 volts, in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor (DBDR) at intervals of times 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 15 min. A flow of a mixture of air and helium at 96% purity was used. The decimal reduction time (D) was determined, and the oxidation of proteins and lipids was analyzed after each treatment. The results showed an annihilating effect of plasma on the indicator bacteria under study, and a reduction of 5 logarithmic cycles was obtained. The maximum degree of lipid oxidation was 23 acid degree values (ADV) after 7 min of exposure to plasma. The oxidation of proteins showed a direct and proportional relationship between the formation of carbonyl groups with the percentage significant loss to the concentration of carbonyl groups with the concentration of protein oxidation, after 3 min of exposure to cold plasma levels of 82% and 99% oxidation of Adobera cheese protein and free casein, respectively. We conclude that the plasma energy applied to Adobera cheese is an effective treatment to inactivate bacteria. However, there is the possibility of causing changes in taste and odor, due to the release of fatty acids and the oxidation of proteins.

Applications of Plasma-Activated Water in Dentistry: A Review

The activation of water by non-thermal plasma creates a liquid with active constituents referred to as plasma-activated water (PAW). Due to its active constituents, PAW may play an important role in different fields, such as agriculture, the food industry and healthcare. Plasma liquid technology has received attention in recent years due to its versatility and good potential, mainly focused on different health care purposes. This interest has extended to dentistry, since the use of a plasma–liquid technology could bring clinical advantages, compared to direct application of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasmas (NTAPPs). The aim of this paper is to discuss the applicability of PAW in different areas of dentistry, according to the published literature about NTAPPs and plasma–liquid technology. The direct and indirect application of NTAPPs are presented in the introduction. Posteriorly, the main reactors for generating PAW and its active constituents with a role in biomedical applications are specified, followed by a section that discusses, in detail, the use of PAW as a tool for different oral diseases.

Characterisation of Flavour Attributes in Egg White Protein Using HS-GC-IMS Combined with E-Nose and E-Tongue: Effect of High-Voltage Cold Plasma Treatment Time

Egg white protein (EWP) is susceptible to denaturation and coagulation when exposed to high temperatures, adversely affecting its flavour, thereby influencing consumers' decisions. Here, we employ high-voltage cold plasma (HVCP) as a novel nonthermal technique to investigate its influence on the EWP's flavour attributes using E-nose, E-tongue, and headspace gas-chromatography-ion-mobilisation spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) due to their rapidness and high sensitivity in identifying flavour fingerprints in foods. The EWP was investigated at 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 s of HVCP treatment time. The results revealed that HVCP significantly influences the odour and taste attributes of the EWP across all treatments, with a more significant influence at 60 and 120 s of HVCP treatment. Principal component analyses of the E-nose and E-tongue clearly distinguish the odour and taste sensors' responses. The HS-GC-IMS analysis identified 65 volatile compounds across the treatments. The volatile compounds' concentrations increased as the HVCP treatment time was increased from 0 to 300 s. The significant compounds contributing to EWP characterisation include heptanal, ethylbenzene, ethanol, acetic acid, nonanal, heptacosane, 5-octadecanal, decanal, p-xylene, and octanal. Thus, this study shows that HVCP could be utilised to modify and improve the EWP flavour attributes.

Advances in emerging technologies for the decontamination of the food contact surfaces

Foodborne pathogens could be transferred to food from food contact surfaces contaminated by poor hygiene or biofilm formation. The food processing industry has various conditions favouring microbes' adherence, such as moisture, nutrients, and the microbial inoculums obtained from the raw material. The function of the ideal antimicrobial surface is preventing initial attachment of the microbes, killing the microbes or/and removing the dead bacteria. This review article provides detail about the challenges food industries are facing with respect to food contact materials. It also summarises the merits and demerits of several sanitizing methods developed for industrial use. Furthermore, it reviews the new and emerging techniques that enhance the efficiency of reducing microbial contamination. Techniques such as surface functionalisation, high-intensity ultrasound, cold plasma technologies etc. which have high potential to be used for the decontamination of food contact surfaces are discussed. The emerging designs of antibacterial surfaces provide the opportunity to reduce or eradicate the adhesion of microorganisms. The most important purpose of these surfaces is to prevent the attachment of bacteria and to kill the bacteria that come in contact. These emerging technologies have a high potential for developing safe and inert food contact materials for the food industry.