Applications of cold atmospheric plasma as green technology for food shelf-life extension and functionalization

Plasma is considered the 4th state of matter, it consists a large number of reactive species and photons. These species and energy can be used synergistically for various applications, including to alter the properties of agricultural products and foods and to decontaminate foods from microorganisms. However, there are still many unknown aspects related to the application of cold plasma to food products. This PhD thesis has focused on two main applications of cold plasma in the food sector, namely the functionalization of food components as starch and flour, and the decontamination of fresh products to extend their shelf-life, as green and sustainable alternative to overcome the problems related to traditional methods currently in use. Several experimental procedures were evaluated individually by the following studies: the application of PAW for 1) the modification of techno-functional properties of potato, normal maize and waxy maize starches, 2) the enhancement of the annealing effect on potato starch, 3) the modification of sorption isotherms, thermodynamics and hydration properties of potato starch, and the application of gaseous plasma for 4) the modification of techno-functional properties of teff flour, and 5) the extension of shelf-life of fresh strawberries. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that ACP, both in gaseous and liquid form (PAW), is a promising alternative to chemical modification of starches and flours, affecting the structural and functional properties and allowing to significantly reduce the time required for annealing, thus improving efficiency and sustainability. The treatment of fresh strawberries resulted in a significant increase in shelf-life, with minimal impact on product quality. The overall results of this thesis highlight the suitability of cold plasma to be used in the food sector as green and sustainable alternative to the methods currently in use and pave the way for sustainable innovation in the food industry.