Effects of cold plasma on food poisoning microbes and food contaminants including toxins and allergens: A review

Cold plasma (CP) has emerged as a powerful intervention in the non-thermal processing of food. It a green technology with a minimum negative impact on food and the environment. Though many conventional biological, chemical and thermal techniques have not given satisfactory results, CP has shown an exceptional promise in the elimination of several kinds of food contaminants including food poisoning microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites, heavy metals, toxins, and allergens. CP plays an important role in the inactivation and inhibition of food poisoning microbes. It could be a befitting alternative to traditional models because of its promising results in diverse groups of food products. This review is a collation of recent studies focused on the effect of CP on various types of microbes, toxins and allergens. The review also emphasises the effect of CP on other food contaminants including the toxicity of pesticides and heavy metals.