Effect of cold plasma on the control of toxigenic fungi associated with juice spoilage

• Grant number: 24/00395-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: March 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Liliana de Oliveira Rocha
• Grantee: Lívia Bergamini Valentini
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The food and beverage industry faces difficulties in maintaining the quality and safety of its products due to the development of filamentous fungi, capable of producing mycotoxins that are harmful to human health, in addition to causing spoilage. Cold plasma technology appears as a strategy to solve this problem. This non-thermal technique consists of an electrical discharge in a neutral gas, producing an ionized gas with antimicrobial compounds, without affecting the quality of the food. The application of cold plasma will be done in stainless steel coupons, containing suspensions of fungal spores, so that it is possible to analyze their effectiveness. Therefore, this project aims to analyze the effect of cold plasma on the growth of strains of Penicillium expansum, Alternaria alternata and Paecilomyces niveus, in addition to optimizing the ideal conditions for their operation (considering parameters such as voltage, frequency, exposure time and impact in fungal biomass) in order to eliminate spoilage microorganisms. The study seeks to significantly contribute to preserving the sensorial and nutritional qualities of juices in the food industry and ensuring consumer safety