Advances in plasma-activated water technology on foodborne pathogens: current applications and future trends

Innovation in food production and processing is needed to respond to emerging challenges, ensure food security worldwide, and meet consumer demands for high-quality, safe, and nutritious food products. Plasma-activated water is an environmentally friendly technique with minimal changes in food products. Plasma-activated water has been receiving increasing attention for applications in food, agriculture and biomedical fields. In particular, this article specifies the physical and chemical properties of plasma-activated water in relation to acidity, conductivity, oxidation - reduction potential, and concentration of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen in purified water. Therefore, the application methods of plasma-activated water for microbial disinfection are also have been summarized in this review. Overall, this review article describes the success achieved by plasma-activated water technology in various application methods; meanwhile, demonstrates its importance in the food processing industry. As the research output on plasma-activated water is expanding exponentially, this review focuses on literature published between the years 2017 to 2022 to summarize a current perception on the principles of plasma-activated water effects and reflect its potentials in various methods of application. Furthermore, prominent drawbacks of this technology was discussed, while important areas for future research were highlighted.