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BACKGROUND: During planting, storage and transportation of maize excessive amounts of pesticides are used to ensure production, resulting in pesticide residues on the maize that can threaten human health. Plasma, compared with other technologies, has been widely regarded as a green, safe and promising technology for surface decontamination to ensure maize safety and quality. RESULTS: The aim of this study is to discuss plasma effects on the degradation of chlorpyrifos and carbaryl on maize surfaceand the changes of treated maize quality. Results achieved the largest degradation efficiency of chlorpyrifos and carbaryl, up to 91.5% and 73.1%, respectively. The physical changes of maize were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showing a decrease in contact angle, an increase in surface free energy and polar component, leading to improved hydrophilicity of the treated maize. There was no significant change of vitamin B 2 content of maize. A significant increase of acid value and decrease of moisture content and starch content were observed within acceptable limits. CONCLUSION: It is reasonable to believe that argon plasma treatment enhances the edible safety of maize while maintaining maize quality.

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The influence of bacterial suspension concentration on biocontrol efficacies and storage stabilities of three biocontrol agents, including Bacillus cereus AR156, Pantoea ananatis YT11 and Pseudomonas fluorescens ABc9, were studied. The results indicated that biocontrol efficacy and storage stability did not increase along with the enhancement of the concentration of biocontrol agents, and 10 9 CFU ml -1 of the strain P. fluorescens ABc9, 10 8 CFU ml -1 of B. cereus AR156 and 10 8 CFU ml -1 of P. ananatis YT11 provided the best biocontrol efficacy as 63.06, 49.55 and 52.25% respectively, and the most suitable concentration of the biocontrol agents for preservation ranged from 10 8 to 10 9 CFU ml -1 .