ABSTRACT This study presents a newly developed Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge (SDBD) reactor with industrially scalable design features for non‐thermal plasma (NTP) generation, offering a practical approach for food preservation through mold inhibition and shelf‐life extension. The low‐energy system (31.4 W, 104.7 J/L) demonstrated remarkable efficacy across three food categories: strawberries showed > 90% mold reduction after 600 s NTP exposure, tomatoes remained mold‐free for 21 days under ambient storage, and cheese maintained quality for 10 days without yellowing or mold growth. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed the antimicrobial mechanism through oxidative breakdown of critical fungal bonds (C–H, CO, and C–O) in Aspergillus sp., while the reactor also effectively inactivated Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27583 planktonic cells, confirming broad‐spectrum activity. Beyond demonstrating preservation efficacy, the study integrates engineering characterization, cross‐commodity validation, and FTIR‐based mechanistic evidence of fungal cell damage. The atmospheric operation and simple design enable direct adaptation to conveyor‐based food processing lines, addressing key limitations of conventional plasma systems. By combining engineering innovation with comprehensive food‐quality validation, this work establishes NTP as a viable, non‐thermal alternative for industrial‐scale food preservation, with significant potential to reduce spoilage while maintaining product quality.
Akan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.