Researchers at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin are testing a way to prevent food poisoning and extend the shelf life of food. They are using a purpose-built cold plasma generator for this.
The research being conducted is aimed at developing an innovative technique that will eliminate micro-organisms from food products, primarily thermosensitive ones. This is intended to reduce the occurrence of, for example, food poisoning caused by Listeria or Salmonella bacteria. The idea is to extend the shelf life of food without losing its nutritional value.
The researchers looked at live bacterial strains – checking their behaviour after exposure to plasma – but also cow and mare milk colostrum and milk powder from these mammals. Perhaps in the future, food ‘plasmaisation’ will prove to be an alternative to pasteurisation. Even more attractive possibility as, while eliminating microorganisms, it does not deprive products of their nutritional value.
