The effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma gas and plasma‐activated water on texture, color, and bacterial characteristics of shiitake mushroom

摘要

This paper presents the first study on the effects of 20‐min dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) gas plasma and arc plasma‐activated water (PAW) on the total bacterialcount (TBC), color values, and textural characteristics of shiitake on day 0 and day7 of storage at 4 ℃. The results were then compared to those of untreated samples(DC) and samples soaked in distilled water (WC). According to the results, after 7 daysof storage, TBC of PAW‐ and DBD‐treated samples were 0.89 ± 0.01 and 0.6 ± 0.05log CFU/g lower than those of control samples, respectively. Furthermore, bothDBD and PAW treatments reduced the overall color changes (ΔE) in samples duringstorage. Besides, PAW‐treated samples had the greatest texture firmness value(1.27 ± 0.16 N) after a week of storage. These findings along with a good potential forthe upscaling process suggest PAW can be a prospective commercial technique forextending the shelf‐life of fresh shiitake mushrooms.Practical applicationsThe feasibility of shelf‐life enhancement of fresh produce confers a great interest incold plasma gas and plasma‐activated water (PAW) with respect to their industrialapplication. Particularly, extending the shelf‐life of shiitake is an important topic forexporters of this fresh agricultural product, considering the high demands for thisproduct in many countries. The findings of the present study introduced cold plasma,especially arc PAW, as a promising technique for shelf‐life enhancement of shiitakemushroom. The preservation method proposed in this study is scalable and furthereconomic and engineering studies may result in its industrial application.