Fresh-cut produce like lettuce may contain a very high microbial load, including human pathogens. Therefore, the need for antimicrobial agents at post-harvest stages to mitigate microbial cross-contamination and growth is evident. Sanitation based on non-thermal plasma (NTP) reveals innovative food processing possibilities by application at different points along the food chain, for production, modification, and preservation, as well as in packaging of plant- and animal-based food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of plasma-treated water (PTW) as antimicrobial process water additives for washing in fresh-cut lettuce processing. Antibacterial activities of PTW the natural occurring microflora of lettuce were examined. Different process variants of PTW application inside the washing process were investigated. Fresh-cut lettuce were investigated regarding microbiological safety and food quality. Samples were analyzed for antimicrobial and metabolic activity as well as metabolic vitality to prove food safety. The investigations for food quality included color and texture analyses and nitrate concentration detection in fresh tissue as well as microscopic measurements by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for tissue surface structure and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for cell organelle investigations. The application of PTW allowed up to 5 log₁₀ cycle reduction, depending on the process variant and scale (lab and pilot scale). The increase of antimicrobial activity was accompanied by a reduction of metabolic activity, but not consequently by a decrease in metabolic vitality. Food quality was not affected by the use of PTW in the washing process of the fresh-cut lettuce. The promising results in color and texture were supported by the results of the microscopic assays. These promising results may lead to an industrial application of PTW as process water additive in fresh-cut produce processing to reduce the microbial load on the food surface and in addition in the process water or on food processing surfaces.

像生菜这样的鲜切农产品可能包含很高的微生物负荷，其中包括人类病原体。因此，明显需要在收获后阶段使用抗微生物剂以减轻微生物的交叉污染和生长。基于非热等离子体（NTP）的卫生设施，通过在整个食物链的不同位置进行应用，生产，改良和保存，以及用于植物和动物食品的包装，揭示了创新的食品加工可能性。本研究的目的是评估等离子处理水（PTW）作为抗微生物处理水添加剂的适用范围，以用于鲜切生菜加工中的洗涤。检查了PTW的天然生菜菌群的抗菌活性。研究了洗涤过程中PTW应用的不同过程变体。研究了鲜切生菜的微生物安全性和食品质量。分析样品的抗微生物和代谢活性以及代谢活力，以证明食品安全。食品质量调查包括新鲜组织的颜色和质地分析，硝酸盐浓度检测，以及通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和原子力显微镜（AFM）进行组织表面结构的显微测量，以及通过透射电子显微镜（TEM）进行细胞器的显微测量。调查。PTW的应用最多允许5个日志 食品质量调查包括新鲜组织的颜色和质地分析，硝酸盐浓度检测，以及通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和原子力显微镜（AFM）进行组织表面结构的显微测量，以及通过透射电子显微镜（TEM）进行细胞器的显微测量。调查。PTW的应用最多允许5个日志 食品质量调查包括新鲜组织的颜色和质地分析，硝酸盐浓度检测，以及通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和原子力显微镜（AFM）进行组织表面结构的显微测量，以及通过透射电子显微镜（TEM）进行细胞器的显微测量。调查。PTW的应用最多允许5个日志减少_10个周期，具体取决于工艺变量和规模（实验室规模和中试规模）。抗菌活性的增加伴随着代谢活性的降低，但并不因此而导致代谢活力的降低。在鲜切生菜的洗涤过程中，PTW的使用不会影响食品质量。显微分析的结果支持了颜色和质地的有希望的结果。这些有希望的结果可能导致PTW作为工业用水添加剂在鲜切农产品加工中的工业应用，以减少食品表面上以及加工用水或食品加工表面上的微生物负荷。