Industrial scale application of cold atmospheric plasma technology for fish fillets decontamination and shelf-life extension – quality assessment from production to consumption

The preservation of fish fillets during storage and distribution remains challenging due to microbial spoilage and quality deterioration. This study validated the industrial-scale application of plasma-activated water (PAW) and plasma-activated ice (PAI) on sea bream fillets, building on previous laboratory-scale findings. PAW was generated using a CAP helium jet (H₂O₂: 30.6 mg/L, NO₃ − : 25.0 mg/L), while PAI was produced by freezing diluted PAW (H₂O₂: 3.8 mg/L) to reproduce lab-scale conditions. Two industrial-scale procedures were applied: (i) fillets immersed in PAW for 10 min and packed with conventional ice (PAW-fillets), and (ii) fillets packed with PAI flakes (PAI-fillets). Control fillets were packed with conventional ice. Microbial and physicochemical parameters were monitored during storage and distribution from the processing plant to supermarkets and consumers' refrigerators. Immediately after production, total aerobic bacteria were ∼ 4.00 log CFU/g, with a 0.56 log CFU/g reduction observed in PAW-fillets. PAI-fillets showed microbial reductions during the first two days, reflecting the antimicrobial activity of PAI. Shelf-life analysis indicated a ∼ 73.9% extension for PAI-fillets and ∼ 42.4% for PAW-fillets compared to controls. Physicochemical quality and freshness attributes were maintained throughout storage. A techno-economic assessment demonstrated that CAP unit installation is cost-effective, and the extended shelf life contributes to reduced food waste. Overall, these findings confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of scaling up PAW and PAI applications in industrial fish processing, providing a practical strategy to enhance safety, quality, and sustainability in seafood supply chains.