Application of atmospheric cold plasma-activated water (PAW) ice for preservation of shrimps (Metapenaeus ensis)

In this paper, plasma-activated water (PAW) ice is proposed for the preservation of fresh shrimps. The changes in microbiological, physical, chemical and protein properties were investigated during storage with conventional tap water (TW) ice and PAW ice. Compared with TW ice, PAW ice showed significant advantage for inhibition of microbial growth, extending the storage time by 4–8 days. The pH of shrimps treated with PAW ice remained below 7.7 during storage. The deteriorating changes in color characteristics and hardness were delayed by the PAW ice treatment. The production of volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) was reduced to below 20 mg/100 g during PAW ice storage, significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the samples treated with TW ice. In addition, PAW ice did not result in adverse changes in shrimp proteins. Therefore, the study showed that PAW ice may be used in preservation of fresh seafood.