Comparison of the effect of dielectric barrier discharge plasma in surface and volume mode of treatment on physical and chemical properties of saffron

Nowadays, cold atmospheric pressure plasmas are used as an efficient method in food industries. The advantage of plasma method compared to other method are high productivity, cost-effectiveness and reduction of harmful chemical pollutants. In this study, cold atmosphericpressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma in surface and volumetric treatment mode was produced, and its effect on the physical and chemical properties of saffron was investigated. For this purpose, after the production and characterization of plasma structures including electrode structure, electrical properties and optical emission spectroscopy, the influence of these structures on the physical and chemical properties of saffron was investigated. At first, the effect of surface and volumetric plasma treatment on degradation of Escherichia coli bacteria was investigated. The results showed that surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment with high treatment time has a great effect on inactivation of Escherichia coli. Then, the effect of surface and volume treatments on the main properties of saffron including crocin, picrocrocin and safranal were investigated. The results showed that surface and volumetric plasma treatment increase the main properties of saffron,surprisingly.  Finally, the effect of surface and volumetric plasma treatments on increasing harmful substance in saffron including nitrate and ammonium was investigated. The results showed that volumetric treatment of plasma due to direct processing increase the harmful substances in saffron, including nitrate and ammonium. According to the results of this research, it can be concluded that the dielectric barrier discharge in surface treatment mode has advantages against volumetric treatment. The latter suffers from harmful by-products. In this regard, the surface treatment of saffron is  preferable to volumetric