Understanding the role of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) in maintaining the quality of hairtail (Trichiurus Lepturus)

Impacts of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) on the properties of muscle protein and performance of extracted crude enzyme of hairtail (Trichiurus Lepturus) fish have been evaluated. A decrease in extracted crude enzyme activity with increasing the ACP treatment time has been found, and the highest reduction (p < 0.05) value of 0.035 units/mg proteins was obtained after 240 s. A considerable increase in the carbonyl content in the treated sample for about three times higher than the control sample was found, and a decrease of total sulfhydryl content to 0.34 nmol/mg protein. Texture profile analysis, water holding capacity, and the color properties of the muscle protein improved significantly in the samples treated with ACP. SDS-PAGE pattern showed an increase in the band intensity of cross-linked myosin heavy chains and actin proteins. Based on these outcomes, ACP could play a significant role as a promising non-thermal method to prolong the shelf-life of hairtail fish.