Application of a roller conveyor type plasma disinfection device with fungus-contaminated citrus fruits

Degradation of Toxins Derived from Foodborne Pathogens by Atmospheric-Pressure Dielectric-Barrier Discharge

Foodborne diseases can be attributed not only to contamination with bacterial or fungal pathogens but also their associated toxins. Thus, to maintain food safety, innovative decontamination techniques for toxins are required. We previously demonstrated that an atmospheric-pressure dielectric-barrier discharge (APDBD) plasma generated by a roller conveyer plasma device is effective at inactivating bacteria and fungi in foods. Here, we have further examined whether the roller conveyer plasma device can be used to degrade toxins produced by foodborne bacterial pathogens, including aflatoxin, Shiga toxins (Stx1 and Stx2), enterotoxin B and cereulide. Each toxin was spotted onto an aluminum plate, allowed to dry, and then treated with APDBD plasma applied by the roller conveyer plasma device for different time periods. Assessments were conducted using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results demonstrate a significant time-dependent decrease in the levels of these toxins. ELISA showed that aflatoxin B1 concentrations were reduced from 308.6 µg/mL to 74.4 µg/mL within 1 min. For Shiga toxins, Stx1 decreased from 913.8 µg/mL to 65.1 µg/mL, and Stx2 from 2309.0 µg/mL to 187.6 µg/mL within the same time frame (1 min). Enterotoxin B levels dropped from 62.67 µg/mL to 1.74 µg/mL at 15 min, and 1.43 µg/mL at 30 min, but did not display a significant decrease within 5 min. LC-MS/MS analysis verified that cereulide was reduced to below the detection limit following 30 min of APDBD plasma treatment. Taken together, these findings highlight that a range of foodborne toxins can be degraded by a relatively short exposure to plasma generated by an APDBD using a roller conveyer device. This technology offers promising advancements in food safety, providing a novel method to alleviate toxin contamination in the food processing industry.

Nonthermal Plasma Effects on Fungi: Applications, Fungal Responses, and Future Perspectives

The kingdom of Fungi is rich in species that live in various environments and exhibit different lifestyles. Many are beneficial and indispensable for the environment and industries, but some can threaten plants, animals, and humans as pathogens. Various strategies have been applied to eliminate fungal pathogens by relying on chemical and nonchemical antifungal agents and tools. Nonthermal plasma (NTP) is a potential tool to inactivate pathogenic and food-contaminating fungi and genetically improve fungal strains used in industry as enzyme and metabolite producers. The NTP mode of action is due to many highly reactive species and their interactions with biological molecules. The interaction of the NTP with living cells is believed to be synergistic yet not well understood. This review aims to summarize the current NTP designs, applications, and challenges that involve fungi, as well as provide brief descriptions of underlying mechanisms employed by fungi in interactions with the NTP components.

Application of Non-Thermal Plasma to Fungal Resources

In addition to being key pathogens in plants, animals, and humans, fungi are also valuable resources in agriculture, food, medicine, industry, and the environment. The elimination of pathogenic fungi and the functional enhancement of beneficial fungi have been the major topics investigated by researchers. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a potential tool to inactivate pathogenic and food-spoiling fungi and functionally enhance beneficial fungi. In this review, we summarize and discuss research performed over the last decade on the use of NTP to treat both harmful and beneficial yeast- and filamentous-type fungi. NTP can efficiently inactivate fungal spores and eliminate fungal contaminants from seeds, fresh agricultural produce, food, and human skin. Studies have also demonstrated that NTP can improve the production of valuable enzymes and metabolites in fungi. Further studies are still needed to establish NTP as a method that can be used as an alternative to the conventional methods of fungal inactivation and activation.

Corona Discharge Power of Plasma Treatment Influence on the Physicochemical and Microbial Quality of Enoki Mushroom (Flammulina velutipes)

Plasma treatment was widely known as an effective technology applied for contact-surface decontamination. Enoki (Flammulina velutipes) was an edible-medicinal mushroom with different phytochemicals and bioactive components beneficial for human health. Enoki mushroom had high respiration rate therefore it was highly perishable after harvesting. Moreover, it was greatly susceptible to microbial contamination but it was not feasible to be decontaminated by normal water washing. It’s urgent to extend shelf-life and control microbial criteria on this mushroom in dry manner without aqueous treatment. Corona discharge plasma was among 4 kinds of diverse cold atmospheric pressure plasma sources widely applied in food industry. This study demonstrated the influence of corona discharge plasma power values (control, 120, 150, 180, 210 W) on the physicochemical and microbial characteristics of Enoki mushroom during 10 days of storage at ambient temperature. Results showed that Enoki mushroom should be treated at 150 W of corona discharge plasma power to retain weight loss, total soluble solid, vitamin C in acceptable values while reducing total Aerobic count, Coliform, Enterobacteriaceae as much as possible. At the 10th day of storage, the weight loss, total soluble solid, vitamin C, total Aerobic count, Coliform, Enterobacteriaceae were recorded at 3.35±0.07%, 6.98±0.03 oBrix, 14.81±0.04 mg/100 g, 4.71±0.05 log CFU/g, 3.17±0.02 log CFU/g, 2.13±0.01 CFU/g, respectively. Findings of this research proved that corona discharge plasma pretreatment would be appropriate to maintain physicochemical properties and retard microbial loads on Enoki mushroom during preservation.

Effects of Pre-Treatment Using Plasma on the Antibacterial Activity of Mushroom Surfaces

Although non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is an efficient tool for preventing post-harvest microbial contamination, many studies have focused on the post-treatment of infected or contaminated foods. In this study, we examined the antimicrobial quality of mushrooms pre-treated with a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (NTAPPJ) or plasma-treated water (PTW). The CFU (Colony Forming Unit) number of Escherichia coli inoculated on surfaces of mushrooms pre-treated with NTAPPJ or PTW was significantly reduced (about 60-75% for NTAPPJ and about 35-85% for PTW), and the reduction rate was proportional to the treatment time. Bacterial attachment and viability of the attached bacteria were decreased on NTAPPJ-treated mushroom surfaces. This may be caused by the increased hydrophilicity and oxidizing capacity observed on NTAPPJ-treated mushroom surfaces. In PTW-treated mushrooms, bacterial attachment was not significantly changed, but death and lipid peroxidation of the attached bacteria were significantly increased. Analysis of mushroom quality showed that loss of water content was greater in mushrooms treated with NTAPPJ compared to that in those with no treatment (control) and PTW treatment during storage. Our results suggest that pre-treatment with NTAPPJ or PTW can improve the antibacterial quality of mushroom surfaces by decreasing bacterial attachment (for NTAPPJ) and increasing bacterial lipid peroxidation (for both NTAPPJ and PTW).