Microbial and Quality Changes of Seabream Fillets Processed with Cold Plasma During Refrigerated Storage.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Plasma Technology

Background:

• Cold plasma (CP) is a non-thermal technology for food decontamination.
• Sensitive foods like fish can experience quality degradation from CP treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of two different cold plasma gas mixtures on seabream fillet quality.
• To assess microbial decontamination, quality indices, and sensory acceptability of treated seabream fillets.

Main Methods:

• Surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) cold plasma was applied using 80% Ar/20% O2 or 80% N2/20% O2 gas mixtures.
• Microbial load, lipid and protein oxidation, fatty acid profile, and sensory acceptability were analyzed during refrigerated storage.

Main Results:

• CP treatment resulted in a 40% increase in microbiological shelf life by inhibiting spoilage bacteria growth.
• Slight increases in lipid and protein oxidation were observed, but sensory acceptability improved.
• Fatty acid profiles remained largely unaffected, with only minor changes in surface color.

Conclusions:

• Cold plasma treatment is a viable strategy for extending the shelf life of seabream fillets.
• CP offers significant microbiological benefits with minimal negative effects on nutritional value and overall quality.