Evaluation of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (CAPP) and plasma-activated water (PAW) as alternative non-thermal decontamination technologies for tofu: Impact on microbiological, sensorial and functional quality attributes

The efficacy of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (CAPP) for the inactivation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on tofu was evaluated. The potential of using Plasma Activated Water (PAW) as an immersion solution for controlling microbial growth in tofu throughout its shelf-life was also investigated. The effects of these strategies on the physical and functional properties of treated tofu were also studied. CAPP treatment of tofu caused a limited inactivation of microbial populations, with log(10) reductions attained ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 log(10) for S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7, respectively, after a 15 min treatment. CAPP did not affect tofu's water holding capacity, but it dried it and gave rise to changes in color and texture, which were reverted by immersing the treated product in distilled water. Refrigerated storage of tofu using PAW as an immersion solution was effective in controlling microbial growth. Thus, total counts obtained after 28 days of storage were around 3 log(10) units lower than those observed for tofu stored immersed in non-treated deionized water. In addition, this strategy led to a product with a higher functional value than thermally-treated commercial tofu, retaining up to 80% of the initial content of total polyphenols, with better texture properties, less hardness and springiness (approximately 20-30% lower) and with minor changes in its characteristic color. Overall, these results evidence that PAW is a promising non-thermal technology which can facilitate the control of pathogenic microorganisms on tofu while retaining its physical and functional properties.