SHRAMSHAKTI COLLEGE OF

FOOD TECHNOLOGY,
MALDAD.
(Affiliated to Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri.)

A SEMINAR ON
“COLD PLASMA TECHNOLOGY” &
“HIGH HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE SYSTEM”

Presented by Guided by
Bhusari K.S. Prof. Ingale M.P.
(FTS/03/2014) (SCFT, Principal)
COLD PLASMA
TECHNOLOGY
 Content
Introduction
What is plasma?
Generation of plasma
Applications of plasma process in food
industry.
Mode of action
Advantages of cold plasma techniques
Limitation of cold plasma techniques
Conclusion
 Cold plasma is an emerging non-thermal
technology for the improvement of food safety.
 It uses energetic, reactive gases to inactivate
contaminating microbes on meats, poultry, fruits,
and vegetables.
 Cold atmospheric plasma has potential in the food
manufacturing sector to inactivate microorganisms,
thereby improving food safety without loss of
physicochemical or sensory properties.
 Plasma is ionized gas that consists of a large number
of different species such as electrons, positive and
negative ions, free radicals, and gas atoms, molecules
in the ground or excited state.
 Plasma is often called the "Fourth State of Matter,"
the other three being solid, liquid and gas.
Plasmas, like gases have an indefinite shape and an
indefinite volume.
Plasmas are generally electrically neutral.
 Generation of plasma
For the generation of plasmas electrical energy is
always used.
 Applying a voltage to a gas generates an electric
field that can accelerate any free electrons in the
gas.
 Accelerated electrons will collide with neutral gas
atoms, resulting in excitation or ionization.
 It releases more free electrons, causes generation
rich abundance of highly reactive, short-lived
chemical species that are capable of inactivating a
wide range of microorganisms.
Generation of plasma
 Application of cold plasma in food
industry
 Surface decontamination:
Cold plasma can be used for decontamination of
products where micro organisms are externally
located. Unlike light (UV decontamination), plasma
flows around objects, ensuring all parts of the product
are treated.
.
 Mild surface contamination:

For products like cut vegetables & fresh meat, there is no

mild surface decontamination technology available
currently; cold plasma could be used for this purpose.
 A plasma torch can be applied 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
or substantially reduced low levels of bacteria
from both skinless chicken & chicken skin.
♦ Cold plasma used in food packaging
technology:
It was originally developed to increase the
surface energy of polymers, enhancing
adhesion, printability.
It has recently emerged as a powerful tool for
surface decontamination food packaging
materials.
Packaging materials such as plastic bottles, lids
and films can be rapidly sterilized using cold
plasma, without adversely affecting their bulk
properties or leaving any residues.
 Mode of action
At the beginning the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) energy
is very effective in the breaking most organic bonds of
surface contaminants.
Oxygen species react with organic contaminants to
form H2O, CO, CO2, and lower molecular weight
hydrocarbons.
Thus, destruct the microbial cells by
• Disrupting bacteria cell membrane
• Denaturing proteins
• Damaging bacteria DNA
 Advantages of cold plasma
Surface treatment process doesn’t affect nutrients
and vitamins within the food.
Low running cost.(cost of natural gases and
electricity).
Environmentally friendly.(uses natural gases
including nitrogen, argon, air, hydrogen and
oxygen).
Antimicrobial chemical agents are not required to
inactivation process.
Less time consuming method.
 Limitation of cold plasma
 Cold plasma are the relatively early state of
technology development, the variety and
complexity of the necessary equipment.

 Also, the antimicrobial modes of action for various

cold plasma systems vary depending on the type of
cold plasma generated Optimization and scale up to
commercial treatment levels require a more
complete understanding of these chemical
processes.
 HIGH
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE(HHP)
SYSTEM
 Content
Introduction
Principle of HPP
Components of HPP
Working of HPP
HPP and food safety
Advantage of HPP
Disadvantage of HPP
Conclusion
 Introduction
High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) technology is an
alternate, non-thermal food processing method
 Food products are exposed to very high pressure range
from 100-800 MPa (1MPa = 145.03 Psi or 10 Bar)
During the pressurizing time, a major reduction of
microorganisms and a denaturation of proteins could
occur without influencing molecular bonds.
In addition, chemical reactions that cause the
destruction of vitamins or produce off-flavours can be
reduced under High-pressure conditions and extend
shelf life.
 Principles of HHP
Le Chatelier's Principle : When pressure is applied
to a system in equilibrium, bio-molecules react to
counteract the applied pressure.
Isostatic Pressing: the pressure is transmitted in a
uniform manner in all directions. Following the
decompression, the material returns to its initial
shape.
 Microscopic Ordering Principle: at a constant
temperature, increasing the pressure mutually
increases the degree of ordering of the molecules of
a substance.
 Components of HHP

A high pressure vessel

Pressure transmitting fluid

Pressure generation system

Temperature control device

Material handling system

 Working of HHP
The packages are loaded into the high pressure
chamber and the vessel filled with pressure
transmitting agent.
 It compress the water surrounding the food & At
room temperature, the volume of water decreases
with an increase in pressure.
ones the desired pressure is reached the pump or
piston is stopped, the valves are closed.
 After holding the product for the desired time at
the target pressure, the vessel is decompressed by
releasing the pressure-transmitting fluid.
 HHP & Food safety
 HHP inactivates most of the spoilage and pathogenic
bacteria only when applied pressures exceed 400 MPa
 Vegetative bacterial cells are inactivated by pressures
between 400 and 600 MPa.
Cell membranes of these organisms are damaged by
HHP and they therefore cannot reproduce.
Once damaged, the cells are unable to control the
transport of water and ions across the membranes, and
cells collapse.
Gram positive organisms are more resistant than gram
negative due to the presence of Teichoic acid .
Pilot scale high pressure equipment
 Advantages of HHP
 Significant reduction of heating, this will minimize
thermal degradation of food components : Increased
bioavailability.
 Retains natural antimicrobial systems without
changing the sensory and nutritional quality of foods
and extend shelf life.
 Reduced requirement of chemical additives .
 Potential for the design of new products due to the
creation of new textures, tastes and functional
properties.
 Disadvantage of HPP
 Food must contain water, as the whole
phenomenon is based on compression.

 Some enzymes are very pressure resistant .

 May not inactivate spores.

 Structurally fragile foods needs special attention.

 High installation cost.

 Conclusion
Cold plasma and high pressure technology
proposes a great potential to develop new
“minimally” treated foods with high nutritional
and sensory quality, novel texture and with an
increased shelf-life.
 It can preserve food products without heat
treatment or chemical preservatives, and its ability
to ensure safety has opened new market
opportunities particularly in the area of “natural”
preservative free food products.
Thank you