International Journal of Emerging trends in Engineering and Development

Issue 2, Vol.4 (May 2012) ISSN 2249-6149

COLD PLASMA AS A NOVEL FOOD PROCESSING

TECHNOLOGY
M.Shakila Banu1, P.Sasikala2, Aruna Dhanapal3,V.Kavitha5 ,Yazhini.G5 and Lavanya Rajamani6
1 2,3,4 5 6
Professor and Head PG Scholars

1.Ph no:9843342592 and 1 2. Ph no: 7502735071

Department of Food Processing and Preservation Technology , Faculty Of Engineering ,
Avinashilingam University For Women, Coimbatore, India .

_____________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT

Plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are
ionized. It is widely used for industrial materials processing, and has recently shown promise as
a sanitizing tool. This is largely due to new technologies which easily produce non thermal
plasmas (NTPs) at normal atmospheric pressure. Cold atmospheric plasma has potential in the
food manufacturing sector to inactivate microorganisms, thereby improving food safety.
Growing demand for fresh produce poses the challenge to the food industry of supplying safe
food with minimal processing. It is crucial that foods are supplied without any microbial
contamination as many products are eaten raw. As a result, there is much interest in novel ways
of preserving food and destroying micro-organisms without affecting its quality. One such
emerging technology that has shown promise is the use of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP)
treatment. An overview of the cold plasma technology is presented with its potential applications
in food processing sector.

Keywords: Plasma, sanitizing tool, non thermal plasma, food safety, micro-organisms.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION

Plasma is considered as the fourth state of matter. The concept of the fourth state of
matter results from the idea that phase transitions occur by progressively providing energy to the
matter, such as the one from the solid state to liquid up to the gas state. A further „phase
transition‟ may be thought as the one from the gas state to the plasma state, even if this state is
reached gradually by providing more and more energy to the system. Plasma can be seen as a
particular ionized gas, which retains some unique features which distinguish it from an (ideal)
gas. Plasma can be defined as the state of ionized gas consisting of positively and negatively
charged ions, free electrons and activated neutral species (excited and radical), and are generally
classified into two types, thermal plasma and cold plasma based on the difference in
characteristics. [1]

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Figure 1: Plasma
2. PLASMA AS FOURTH STATE OF MATTER

Figure 2 : Formation of Plasma

Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms (reduce or increase the number of
electrons in them), thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions
and negative electrons or ions as shown in Fig 3.[2].

Neutral particle
in the gas

Figure 3:Ionization of the Neutral Particle in gas [3]

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Figure 4 Plasma as fourth state of matter [3]

Ionization can be induced by other means, such as strong electromagnetic field applied
with a laser or microwave generator, and is accompanied by the dissociation of molecular bonds,
if present.[4] . The presence of a non-negligible number of charge carriers makes the plasma
electrically conductive so that it responds strongly to electromagnetic fields. Plasma, therefore,
has properties quite unlike those of solids, liquids, or gases and is considered a distinct state of
matter..[5]

COLD PLASMA AS A NOVEL FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Cold plasma is a novel non thermal food processing technology that uses energetic,
reactive gases to inactivate contaminating microbes on meats, poultry, fruits, and vegetables. [6]

Figure 5: Application of Plasma in foods

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This flexible sanitizing method uses electricity and a carrier gas, such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, or
helium; antimicrobial chemical agents are not required. The primary modes of action are due to
UV light and reactive chemical products of the cold plasma ionization process (Figure 6).

Figure 6:Transition of Gas to Plasma [7]

A wide array of cold plasma systems that operate at atmospheric pressures or in low
pressure treatment chambers are under development.[6]

METHODS TO GENERATE PLASMA

There are various ways to supply the necessary energy for plasma generation to a neutral
gas as shown in the figure below.

Figure 7: Various ways of supplying the necessary energy for plasma generation

One possibility is to supply thermal energy, for example in flames, where exothermic
chemical reactions of the molecules are used as the prime energy source. Adiabatic compression

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of the gas is also capable of gas heating up to the point of plasma generation. Yet another way to
supply energy to a gas reservoir is via energetic beams that moderate in a gas volume. Beams of
neutral particles have the added advantage of being unperturbed by electric and magnetic fields.
Neutral beams are primarily used for sustaining plasmas or for plasma heating in fusion
devices.The most commonly used method of generating and sustaining a low-temperature
plasma for technological and technical application is by applying an electric field to a neutral
gas.[8]

GENERATION OF PLASMA

Plasmas are generated by supplying energy to a neutral gas causing the formation of
charge carriers [8] (Figure 8) .Electrons and ions are produced in the gas phase when electrons or
photons with sufficient energy collide with the neutral atoms and molecules in the feed gas
(electron-impact ionization or photo ionization).

Figure 8 :Generation of Plasma

Figure 9: Formation of charge carriers[9]

Here is a schematic representation of plasma formation (Figure 10). The primary purpose
of the first RF coupler is to convert gas into plasma by ionizing it, or knocking an electron loose
from each gas atom. It is known as the helicon section, because its coupler is shaped in such a

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way that it can ionize gas by launching helical waves through the gas. Helicon antennae is
commonly used for generating plasma.

Figure 10: Formation of Plasma

After the helicon section, the gas is now a "cold plasma".The soup of electrons and the
atoms is primed for acceleration in the second stage. Where there were neutral gas atoms, there
are now ions and electrons, which are charged, and such moving charged particles interact with
magnetic fields. The magnetic field can be visualized as lines passing with ions orbiting around
each line. The second RF coupler is called the Ion Cyclotron Heating (ICH) section. ICH is a
technique used in fusion experiments to heat plasma to temperatures on the order of those in the
Sun's core. [10]

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CLASSIFICATION OF PLASMA

Plasma is classified based on the following aspects:[3]

• Low temperature plasmas (less

than 2000K)
Temperature • High temperature plasmas
(above 2000K)

• Non-thermal or non-equilibrium
Thermodynamic plasmas
equilibrium
• Thermal or equilibrium plasmas

• DC discharge
• Pulsed DC (kHz)
Frequency • RF discharge (MHz)
•Microwave discharge (GHz)

• Neutral

Neutrality • Non Neutral

• Low-pressure plasmas <1 Pa

• Moderate pressure plasmas
Pressure ≈100 Pa
• Atmospheric pressure plasmas

• Weakly ionized plasmas 10-6 –

Ionization 10-1
degree
• Fully ionized plasmas ≈ 1

• Magnetic plasmas

Magnetization • Non-magnetic plasmas

HOT AND COLD PLASMA

A hot plasma is also called as "low temperature" plasma in order to distinguish it from a
thermonuclear fusion plasma. Such plasmas can be produced by atmospheric arcs, sparks and
flames. A cold plasma is one in which the thermal motion of the ions can be ignored.
Consequently there is no pressure force, the magnetic force can be ignored, and only the electric
force is considered to act on the particles. These plasmas are said "cold" because the temperature
in the plasma reactor stays near room temperature.[11]

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AREAS OF COLD PLASMA TECHNOLOGY IN FOODS

Cold plasma can be used for decontamination of products where micro-organisms are
externally located. Unlike light (e.g. ultraviolet light decontamination), plasma flows around
objects, which means „shadow effects‟ do not occur ensuring all parts of a product are treated.
For products such as cut vegetables and fresh meat, there is no mild surface decontamination
technology available currently; cold plasma could be used for this purpose. Cold plasma could
also be used to disinfect surfaces before packaging or included as part of the packaging process.
Energy consumption would be similar to existing UV-C systems and the treatment of foods
would be highly cost-effective; the electronics and lifetime of plasma technologies are
comparable to UV-C systems even with the additional need for a carrier gas.[12]

ADVANTAGES OF COLD PLASMA IN FOODS[13]

Novel, ultra-fast
sterilisation/preservation
process (sterilisation takes
only few minutes)

Surface treatment
process, doesn’t affect
nutrients and vitamins within
the food

Process operates at ambient

temperatures (ideal for
thermolabile products)

Depending on the plasma type

,it is possible to inactivate all
types of pathogens

Low running cost (cost of

natural gases and electricity)

Environmentally friendly (uses

natural gases including
nitrogen, argon, air, hydrogen
and oxygen)

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MECHANISM OF MICROBIAL INACTIVATION BY COLD PLASMA

The ability of atmospheric discharge cold plasmas to sterilize surfaces is well established.
The combination of electron and ion bombardment, thermal effects, free radical production, and
local exposure to UV all act in concert to disrupt bacteria cell membranes, denature proteins, and
damage bacterial DNA. [14] An example of the sterilization capability of cold plasma is shown
in figure below. Escherichia coli, a human pathogen, were inoculated into three Petri dishes. One
dish was left as a control with no plasma exposure; another was exposed for 30 seconds of
plasma treatment, and a third was exposed for 120 seconds. The bacterial kill zones are
progressively larger with longer plasma exposure times,. [14]

Figure 11 sterilization capability of cold plasma

Top Petri dish has no exposure, bottom left has 30 seconds cold plasma exposure and
bottom right has 120 seconds exposure in approximately the center of the dish. Improvements in
plasma applicator technology have dramatically reduced the required dwell times.[14]

Figure 12 :SEM micrographs of E. coli cells: (a) control; (b) plasma-treated,

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showing gross morphological damage [3].

Figure 13 Microbial inactivation by Plasma [15]

PLASMA PROCESSING OF FOOD AND FOOD RELATED COMPOUNDS. [16]

STUDIED TARGET SYSTEM

EFFECT

Inactivation of Apples, melons, lettuce

bacteria Mangos, melons, bell peppers
Apple Juice
Sliced cheese and ham
Almonds
Hazelnut, peanut, pistachio nut
Inactivation of
fungi
Seeds (tomato, wheat, bean, lentils, barley, oat, soybean,
Inactivation of chick pea, rye, corn)
fungi
Seed germination
Cooking quality

Degradation
of organic
compounds/ Mycotoxins
macro Starch
molecules Pesticides
Proteins

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COLD PLASMA USED TO KILL BACTERIA ON RAW CHICKEN

Pathogens such as Campylobacter and Salmonella contaminate over 70 percent of the

raw chicken meat tested [17]. Recent research from a food safety team at Pennsylvania's Drexel
University made use of high-energy, low temperature plasma to eliminate unwanted bacteria
while leaving the food basically unchanged.[17]

The Drexel team applied a plasma torch to uncooked chicken in an effort to reduce its
pathogen load. After treating the poultry for various times ranging up to 180 seconds, the plasma
entirely eliminated or substantially reduced low levels of bacteria from both skinless chicken
breasts and chicken skin itself. Even bacteria levels on highly contaminated samples were
significantly lowered.[17]

Figure 14: Scheme of Plasma torch operation

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COLD PLASMA IN FOOD PACKAGING

SURFACE
ACTIVATION AND
FUNCTIONALISATION
BY PLASMA

• EASY PRINTABILITY

• ANTI-MIST PROPERTIES

PLASMA DEPOSITION
OF BARRIER
COATINGS

• PERMEATION BARRIER

• CHEMICAL SAFETY

PLASMA
STERILISATION

• MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY

Figure 15: Cold Plasma In Food Packaging

[18]

Whether labelling jam jars, printing on glass containers, or sealing liquid packaging, a
key factor in the packaging industry is the ability to process materials reliably and at low cost.
Pretreatment with atmospheric-pressure plasma makes it possible to process different materials
and coatings that are sometimes very thin, for example, in the production of composite
packaging.[19]
Where packs are processed at high speed and an adhesive bond is required, recesses in
the area of the bonding surfaces usually have to be taken into account, especially in the case of
high-gloss plastic-coated surfaces. By using Openair plasma technology, such high-gloss gluing
points are directly and selectively pretreated inline

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so that reliable bonding is ensured. In labelling glass bottles, atmospheric-pressure plasma is

employed for pretreating glass. This allows the use of a universal and low-cost water-based
adhesive.[19]

Figure 16 Plasma treatment [18]

of thermally sensitive polymers
One of the most common applications of plasma in packaging is in the area of labelling.
For advertising stickers, information labels or tamper evidence, there‟s always one key
requirement: the glue must be waterbased and the adhesive joint must not loosen by itself. When
it‟s torn off a clear fibre tear should be evident. To ensure adhesion of such labels, companies
such as Kraft and other leading food and beverage manufacturers make use of plasma
technology.[19]
COLD ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE PLASMAS APPLIED TO ACTIVE PACKAGING
OF APPLES

Fresh food products after harvest are still biologically active with active mass and energy
transport systems. Fruits, in general, are covered with a biopolyester called cutin, which is
embedded in a natural wax that serves as the major barrier to moisture loss [20] . The wax layer
that covers the surface of apples is applied to protect the fruit from stress factors such as
moisture loss (produced by transpiration of the fruit), mechanical damage, oxidation, and
microbial infections. Nowadays, thin-film deposition by plasma processing technique has made
contributions in the medicine, biology, environmental science, food science, and semiconductor
industries [20]. The application of this technology has become increasingly important in recent
years.

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Figure 17: Cold Plasma in Active Packaging of Apples

The cold atmospheric-pressure plasma zone was obtained by increasing the voltage
applied to a needle-to-needle configuration (Fig 17 ) until the electric field intensity in the feed
material (argon + monomer) was sufficiently high to result in electron avalanches and streamers.
It was useful to predict the voltage at which there is a transition from electron avalanches to self-
propagating streamers. This is defined as the corona onset criterion [20]. In these experiments,
argon was picked as the carrier gas .The food material (apple) was placed in a treatment chamber
located downstream from the activation zone in the atmospheric-pressure cold-plasma reactor
(APCPR). Vanillin was picked as the monomer because of its wide use in the food industry
and its capacity to form plasma-polymerized films [20]. After the film was deposited on the
apple surface, further analysis like Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies were conducted .[20]

OUTLOOK

Modern food processing requires tools to ensure the safety of foods by effectively
sanitizing without compromising food quality. This has led to an increased interest in cold
plasma processing for meat, poultry, dairy products. Cold Plasma is now being investigated for
application to foods as a sanitizing and/or conditioning step. Several different cold plasma
technologies have been developed, each with different advantages and disadvantages. Cold
Plasma has been shown to injure and inactivate pathogenic bacteria on inert food contact
surfaces, on a variety of foods and in liquids. Cold plasma is a promising technology which is the
subject of active research to enhance the safety of foods.

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REFERENCE
[1] Yasushi Sasai, Shin-ichi Kondo, Yukinori Yamauchi and Masayuki Kuzuya, Biomedical
Engineering, Trends in Materials Science, Cold Plasma Techniques for Pharmaceutical and
Biomedical Engineering.

[2] Luo, Q-Z; D'Angelo, N; Merlino, R. L. (1998). Shock formation in a negative ion plasma
Department of Physics and Astronomy. Retrieved 2011-11-20.

[3] Indrek Jogi Characteristics and classification of plasmas PlasTEP trainings course and
Summer school, 2011 .

[4]Sturrock, Peter A. Plasma Physics: An Introduction to the Theory of Astrophysical,

Geophysical & Laboratory Plasmas.. Cambridge University Press, (1994).

[5]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_%28physics%29

[6] Annual Review of Food Science and Technology Cold Plasma Decontamination of Foods
Review in Advance first posted online , 2011.

[7] Brendan A. Niemira, Non-thermal Processing withPlasma Technologies Food Safety and
Intervention Technologies Research Unit.

[8] H Conrads and M Schmidt, Plasma generation and plasma Sources, 441–454. UK PII,
(2000).

[9] A Supercharged Metal-Ion Generator Higher-quality coatings through “runaway” self-

sputtering,2009.

[10]Technology,VASIMR http://www.adastrarocket.com/aarc/Technology

[11] Plasma classification (types of plasma) (Redirected from Types of plasma), plasma –
universe.com,2012.

[12] Ir. Ariette Matser, Cold plasma processing Food & Biobased Research
http://www.novelq.org

[13] Advanced Food Processing Technologies to expand shelf life of food

2010.
[14] Chemical Radiological Biological Decontamination and Sterilization ,Cold Plasma Portable
Large Area Decontamination http://www.kplasma.com/Docs/KPlasma%20Technologies.pdf
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[15] Gregory Konesky* ,Cold Plasma Decontamination using Flexible Jet Arrays
www.kplasma.com.

[16] Diplom-Chemikerin Franziska Grzegorzewskiaus, vorgelegt von Influence of Non-Thermal

Plasma Species on the Structure and Functionality of Isolated and Plant-based 1,4-Benzopyrone
Derivatives and Phenolic Acids Berlin,2010

[17] Randolph Jonsson Cold plasma used to kill bacteria on raw chicken, 2012

[18] J. Schneider, A. Schulz, M. Leins, H. Petto, U. Schweitzer, M. Walker, U. Stroth

Applications of Plasma Technology in Food Packaging Germany

[19] André Schlenk Innovative Plasma Technology Resolves Problems In Package

Manufacturing “Packaging & Print Media”.

[20] Sulmer A. Fernández-Gutierrez, Member, IEEE, Patrick D. Pedrow, Senior Member, IEEE,
Marvin J. Pitts, and Joseph Powers Cold Atmospheric-Pressure Plasmas Applied to Active
Packaging of Apples. IEEE Transactions On Plasma Science, Vol. 38, No. 4, April 2010.

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