Effect of atmospheric cold plasma treatment on technological and nutrition functionality of protein in foods

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is an emerging technology which has increased attraction due to the consumers’ tendency toward fresh and minimally processed food products. This non-thermal technology has been considered as a promising tool for decontamination of foods, modification of food components as well as food packaging. The potential interactions of cold plasma species with food components and consequently its effect on food quality is of high importance. Proteins are the main food constituent in food formulations regarding both nutritional and technological points of view. The susceptibility of native proteins to reactive species created through ACP treatment should be considered regarding the power supply, type of feeding gas and its pressure, exposure time, input voltage and current flow. However, the protein characteristics and the manner in which they are exposed are also important to be considered. This review article is aimed to investigate the technological and nutritional characteristics of proteins during atmospheric cold plasma treatment.