An Effective Sanitizer for Fresh Produce Production: In Situ Plasma-Activated Water Treatment Inactivates Pathogenic Bacteria and Maintains the Quality of Cucurbit Fruit

Plasma-activated water (PAW) is an emerging sanitizer in the fresh food industry, where food safety must be achieved without a thermal kill step. Here, we demonstrate PAW generated in situ to be a competitive sanitizer technology, providing a significant reduction of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms while maintaining the quality and shelf life of the produce item.