Cold plasma has emerged as a non-thermal technology for microbial inactivation in the food industry over the last decade. Spore-forming microorganisms pose challenges for microbiological safety and for the prevention of food spoilage. Inactivation of spores induced by cold plasma has been reported by several studies. However, the exact mechanism of spore deactivation by cold plasma is poorly understood; therefore, it is difficult to control this process and to optimize cold plasma processing for efficient spore inactivation. In this review, we summarize the factors that affect the resistance of spores to cold plasma, including processing parameters, environmental elements, and spore properties. We then describe possible inactivation targets in spore cells (e.g., outer structure, DNA, and metabolic proteins) that associated with inactivation by cold plasma according to previous studies. Kinetic models of the sporicidal activity of cold plasma have also been described here. A better understanding of the interaction between spores and cold plasma is essential for the development and optimization of cold plasma technology in food the industry.
Keywords: Cold plasma; factors; inactivation mechanisms; kinetic models; spore inactivation.