Cold Plasma Technology - A Review of the Basics and It’s Emerging Applications in the Food and Agriculture Sector

Abstract

Cold plasma is an emerging non-thermal method of food processing and preservation. Over the past five years, there has been a huge increase in the number of research works on cold plasma applications. Cold plasma is the best alternative to traditional sanitizers in the food industry without leaving any harmful residues. Applications in the food sector include food decontamination, enzyme inactivation, reduction of food safety hazards, and enhancing efficiency of unit operations such as drying and extraction. In the agriculture sector, cold plasma has proved its potential for seed decontamination, enhancement of seed germination and plant growth, soil and water remediation etc. This paper aims to give an insight into the fundamentals of cold plasma and its promising applications in the food and agriculture sector along with the underlying mechanisms.