Yepez Ximena, Illera Alba E, Baykara Haci, Keener Kevin
Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Ciencias de la Producción, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km 30.5 Vía Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Guayaquil 090902, Ecuador.
Faculty of Science, University of Burgos, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain.
Foods. 2022 Jun 22;11(13):1833. doi: 10.3390/foods11131833.
In a circular economy, products, waste, and resources are kept in the system as long as possible. This review aims to highlight the importance of cold plasma technology as an alternative solution to some challenges in the food chain, such as the extensive energy demand and the hazardous chemicals used. Atmospheric cold plasma can provide a rich source of reactive gas species such as radicals, excited neutrals, ions, free electrons, and UV light that can be efficiently used for sterilization and decontamination, degrading toxins, and pesticides. Atmospheric cold plasma can also improve the utilization of materials in agriculture and food processing, as well as convert waste into resources. The use of atmospheric cold plasma technology is not without challenges. The wide range of reactive gas species leads to many questions about their safety, active life, and environmental impact. Additionally, the associated regulatory approval process requires significant data demonstrating its efficacy. Cold plasma generation requires a specific reliable system, process control monitoring, scalability, and worker safety protections.
在循环经济中，产品、废物和资源应尽可能长时间地保留在系统中。本综述旨在强调冷等离子体技术作为应对食物链中一些挑战（如大量能源需求和使用有害化学物质）的替代解决方案的重要性。常压冷等离子体可提供丰富的活性气体种类来源，如自由基、激发态中性粒子、离子、自由电子和紫外线，可有效用于杀菌和去污、降解毒素及农药。常压冷等离子体还可提高农业和食品加工中材料的利用率，并将废物转化为资源。常压冷等离子体技术的应用并非没有挑战。活性气体种类繁多引发了许多关于其安全性、活性寿命和环境影响的问题。此外，相关的监管审批过程需要大量数据来证明其有效性。冷等离子体的产生需要特定可靠的系统、过程控制监测、可扩展性以及工人安全保护措施。
