Decontamination of chicken meat using dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma technology: The effect on microbial quality, physicochemical properties, topographical structure, and sensory attributes

This study explored the decontamination efficiency of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma using different gases and exposure times at low voltage (20 kV) in chicken breast fillets. Samples were treated by exposure to either oxygen or argon (for 3 and 5 min each), besides the control group, followed by examination for their microbial quality, physicochemical properties, topographical structure, and sensory attributes. Furthermore, the electrical characteristic of the plasma generation system was measured. All plasma-treated samples revealed a significant reduction in bacterial counts, shear force, and pH values, with no significant changes in thiobarbituric acid, total volatile base nitrogen, and cooking loss%. Sensory attributes significantly improved in all plasma-treated samples, except the appearance and color of oxygen-treated samples. This is the first study that demonstrated the impact of DBD plasma on the topographical structure of chicken meat which revealed the greatest destructive effect in muscle fibers and connective tissue in argon-treated samples, with subsequent improving the tenderness versus minimal destructive changes in oxygen-treated samples. Accordingly, DBD plasma treatment, especially with argon gas at 20 kV, for 3 min, is a prospective decontamination method that could be applied safely at poultry processing plants, without any adverse effects on chicken meat quality.