Effect of cold plasma on the control of fungi associated with fruit juice processing in the beverage indutry

• Grant number: 22/14246-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Liliana de Oliveira Rocha
• Grantee: Naiara Hennig Neuenfeldt
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Beverage spoilage by filamentous fungi is a recurrent problem in the food industry, causing significant economic losses. Fungi can be introduced through contaminated raw materials and may prevail in the processing line, causing the spoilage of the final product and potential health issues due to mycotoxin production. Mycotoxins are found in the raw material and are generally stable to food processing. Moreover, these compounds can be produced after food processing by heat resistant fungi. Considering these concerns, the cold plasma is considered an emerging and sustainable technology that forms reactive oxygen species (ROS) and UV light, promoting cellular damage to microorganisms and treating surfaces without leaving environmental residues. ROS can also degrade mycotoxins or change them to a less toxic compound. Based on the information, the primary aim of this proposal is to evaluate the effect of cold plasma in the control of Alternaria spp., Paecilomyces spp. and Penicillium spp., isolated from beverage processing lines and associated with the spoilage of tomato and apple juices. Furthermore, this study aims to analyze the cold plasma potential to degrade mycotoxins formed (patulin, alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether and tenuazonic acid) in the raw materials. (AU)