article · Journal of Food Processing and Preservation
Atmospheric cold plasma generated through dielectric barrier discharge offers a non-thermal method for preserving fresh tilapia fish during cold storage at 4°C. Applying treatment voltages between 40 and 60 kilovolts for up to four minutes significantly affects endogenous enzyme activity and bacterial loads. The optimal conditions, identified at 60 kilovolts for four minutes, extend the shelf life of tilapia to ten days, compared to untreated fish which become unsuitable for human consumption after four days. The treatment substantially lowers total viable bacterial counts, suppresses carbonyl content, and minimises the formation of volatile bases and oxidation compounds. Microscopic analysis confirms that cold plasma slows myofibrillar protein degradation, thereby maintaining tissue structural integrity and preserving desirable organoleptic qualities throughout chilled storage.
Fresh fish deteriorates rapidly during chilled storage, causing significant food waste and economic losses in the seafood supply chain. This non-thermal plasma treatment substantially extends the refrigerated shelf life of tilapia without damaging primary tissue structures. By curbing bacterial growth and slowing enzymatic degradation, the approach can help maintain seafood freshness, reduce spoilage, and improve product safety for consumers.
This non-thermal technique could enable seafood processors and cold chain distributors to more than double the refrigerated shelf life of fresh tilapia fillets. Potential users include aquaculture producers and industrial fish packaging facilities seeking chemical-free preservation alternatives. The research represents applied laboratory testing, indicating that further engineering development, equipment scale-up, and regulatory evaluations are required before commercial integration into fish processing lines.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a novel non-thermal technique that provides the ability to denaturate enzymes without damaging main components. The first purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact of ACP produced via dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on endogenous enzymatic activity and tilapia quality characteristics. The second is to investigate the impact of DBD-ACP on tilapia fish quality throughout storage at 4 ± 1°C. DBD (40, 50, and 60 kV) voltage and duration of exposure (1,2,3, and 4 min) were used. Our findings revealed that the duration and voltage of therapy were significantly impacted on enzymatic activities, total viable counts (TVC), total sulfhydryl (TSH) and carbonyl contents of tilapia fish. The optimum voltage and duration of exposure for this therapy is 60 kV and 4 min, respectively. The obtained results indicated that the DBD-ACP treatment increased the tilapia fish shelf life to 10 days, whereas control specimen were unsuitable for human consumption after 4 days. Novelty impact statement DBD-ACP has been proven to be a possible therapy for commanding the endogenous enzyme, contributing to a prolongation in shelf-life and protection of quality. Our findings suggest that voltage and duration of exposure applied throughout treatment have a significant impact on the inactivation of the endogenous enzymes. The carbonyl content and TVC were greatly reduced by the DBD-ACP, whereas a small decrease in total -SH group amount was observed. This non-thermal technique could maintain the ideal organoleptic quality of tilapia fish for extended preservation through slowing down the multiplication of bacteria and decreasing the formation of TVBN and oxidation compounds. Scanning electron microscopy verified that DBD-ACP could efficiently slow myofibrillar protein degradation and increase tissue structural integrity. From these observations, we infer that DBD-ACP may be used as a positive technology to retain product quality and extend shelf life.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.15442
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
