Effects of cold plasma treatment on food bioactive compounds

Abstract

Cold plasma technology has emerged as a promising non-thermal food processing approach due to its ability to enhance food safety while preserving or improving nutritional and functional quality. This review evaluates recent advances in the application of cold plasma for modulating food bioactive compounds, with particular emphasis on polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, and natural pigments. Cold plasma operates in a thermodynamically non-equilibrium state, generating reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that interact with food matrices through complex and matrix-dependent mechanisms. Evidence indicates a dual-effect behaviour under optimized conditions, cold plasma can disrupt cellular structures, promote macromolecule depolymerization, inactivate degradative enzymes, and enhance the release and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds. Conversely, excessive treatment intensity or prolonged exposure may trigger oxidative degradation, leading to losses in sensitive constituents. Recent literature highlights the strong dependence of cold plasma outcomes on processing parameters, plasma generation methods, gas composition, and intrinsic food characteristics. In addition to compositional changes, cold plasma has been shown to influence antioxidant activity, pigment stability, and post-digestion bioaccessibility highlighting its relevance for functional food development. Despite its significant potential, challenges remain regarding process standardization, scalability, and regulatory acceptance. Overall, this review identifies critical knowledge gaps and future research directions necessary to facilitate the safe and effective industrial implementation of cold plasma technology in food systems.