Food packaging plays a vital role in preserving product integrity, safety and shelf stability during storage, transportation and distribution. Its primary function is to protect food from microbial contamination, physical damage and chemical deterioration. However, conventional packaging systems generally offer only passive protection and are often inadequate in preventing spoilage during prolonged storage. Increasing consumer demand for minimally processed foods with extended shelf life has therefore driven the development of innovative preservation technologies that maintain both nutritional and sensory attributes.
       
Microbial contamination remains a major cause of spoilage and foodborne illnesses worldwide. Traditional preservation techniques such as thermal processing, chemical additives and irradiation are widely used to control microbial growth. Although effective, these methods can negatively affect texture, flavor and nutritional composition. Consequently, there is growing interest in non-thermal technologies that ensure microbial safety while maintaining product quality (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Varilla et al., 2020). Additionally, advancements in food formulation and processing have highlighted the importance of improving stability and nutritional value through innovative approaches (Patel et al., 2019).
       
Cold plasma has come to be as one of the most promising non-thermal technologies for food processing and packaging applications. It is a partially ionized gas composed of electrons, ions, neutral particles, ultraviolet photons and reactive species including reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. These components exhibit strong antimicrobial activity and can efficiently inactivate a wide range of microorganisms without thermal damage (Sharma and Singh, 2022; Varilla et al., 2020; Feizollahi et al., 2020). Recent findings also showed its potential to retain physicochemical and sensory properties along with microbial safety, indicating its potential as a sustainable preservation method (Punniyamorthy et al., 2024).
       
Cold plasma has been widely applied in surface decontamination, microbial reduction, packaging sterilization and shelf-life extension. Studies report significant reductions in microbial load while maintaining desirable product attributes (Kim et al., 2020; Lee et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2022). Its application spans diverse food systems including meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, contributing to improved safety and stability (Ferreira et al., 2025; Keewan et al., 2025). Furthermore, research on dairy-based systems indicates that processing conditions play a crucial role in determining physicochemical properties, sensory acceptance and product stability (Nuraeni et al., 2026).
       
In addition, the recent advances highlight the contribution of cold plasma to enhancing the packaging functionality. Plasma treatment alters the surface properties such as energy and wettability, thus boosting the adhesion of antimicrobial compounds and enabling the development of active packaging systems. These systems are able to inhibit effectively the microbial growth and prolong shelf life (Bahrami et al., 2020; Perera et al., 2022; Nwabor et al., 2022). Also, plasma technology enhances safety by killing microorganisms in closed environments and preventing contamination after processing (Alaguthevar et al., 2024; Kim et al., 2020).
       
The integration of cold plasma with biodegradable polymers, nanomaterials and edible coatings has opened new avenues for sustainable packaging solutions. Plasma-treated biopolymer films exhibit improved mechanical strength, barrier properties and antimicrobial performance, making them suitable alternatives to conventional materials (Karthik et al., 2024; Umair et al., 2023; Gou et al., 2026). Additionally, emerging intelligent packaging systems incorporating plasma-treated materials enable real-time monitoring of freshness and quality (Ghazali et al., 2025; Liu et al., 2024).
       
Despite its advantages, several challenges remain, including optimization of treatment parameters, understanding plasma-food interactions and scaling up for industrial applications. Regulatory approval and safety evaluation are also critical considerations for commercialization (Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Sharma and Singh, 2022).
       
Consequently, a deep knowledge of cold plasma technology is needed for its successful application in current food systems. This review summarizes recent developments of plasma generation systems, mechanisms of microbial inactivation, applications of plasma in food processing and packaging and future prospects as a sustainable solution for improvement of food safety and extension of shelf life.
 
Methodology for literature research
 
The literature included in this review was collected from several internationally recognized scientific databases to ensure the reliability and relevance of the information. Major databases such as scopus, web of science, science direct, springer link, PubMed and google scholar were used to identify relevant research articles and review papers related to cold plasma technology in food processing and packaging.
       
The literature search focused on publications from 2017 to 2026 in order to capture recent advancements in cold plasma applications for food preservation and packaging systems. Keywords used during the search process included “cold plasma food processing,” “non-thermal plasma food preservation,” “cold plasma food packaging,” “plasma surface modification of packaging materials,” “active packaging with plasma treatment,” and “in-package plasma technology.”
       
Only peer-reviewed research articles and review papers published in English were considered for this study. Studies specifically addressing microbial inactivation mechanisms, plasma generation systems, packaging material modification and applications of cold plasma in food preservation were selected for detailed analysis. Articles not related to food processing, packaging technologies, or microbial control were excluded from the review.
       
After preliminary screening based on titles and abstracts, relevant articles were critically evaluated to extract key findings related to cold plasma applications in food safety, packaging material enhancement and shelf-life extension. The selected studies were then systematically organized into thematic sections, including plasma generation systems, mechanisms of microbial inactivation, applications in food processing, applications in food packaging, advantages, limitations and future research directions.
       
This systematic approach ensured that the review provides a comprehensive, structured and up-to-date overview of recent developments in cold plasma technology for food processing and packaging applications.
 
Cold plasma
 
Cold plasma, also referred to as non-thermal plasma, is considered the fourth state of matter after solid, liquid and gas. It is generated when a gas is energized to produce a partially ionized mixture containing electrons, ions, neutral particles, radicals and ultraviolet photons. Unlike thermal plasma, cold plasma operates under non-equilibrium conditions in which electrons possess high kinetic energy while the bulk gas temperature remains relatively low. This unique characteristic allows cold plasma to be applied to heat-sensitive materials such as food products and packaging materials without causing significant thermal damage (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Mehta and Yadav, 2022). Cold plasma technology has gained increasing attention in the food industry due to its ability to effectively inactivate microorganisms while preserving the nutritional and sensory properties of food products. During plasma discharge, various reactive species are generated, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), along with charged particles and ultraviolet radiation. These reactive species exhibit strong antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses (Sharma and Singh, 2022; Varilla et al., 2020).
       
Emerging plasma systems such as microwave-powered cold plasma have shown promising potential for improving food safety and quality preservation in modern food processing applications (Fayaz et al., 2025). In addition to food applications, cold atmospheric plasma has also been extensively investigated for environmental remediation, pollutant degradation and wastewater treatment due to its strong oxidative potential and broader industrial significance (Kumar et al., 2021; Singh et al., 2021). The antimicrobial action of cold plasma is primarily associated with oxidative reactions that damage microbial cellular components such as cell membranes, proteins and nucleic acids, ultimately leading to microbial inactivation. Because of these properties, cold plasma has been widely studied as a promising non-thermal technology for improving food safety, enhancing packaging sterilization and extending the shelf life of packaged food products (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Perera et al., 2022; Lee et al., 2022).
 
Types of plasma
 
Plasma can generally be classified into different categories based on temperature characteristics and operating pressure.
 
Thermal plasma
 
Thermal plasma is characterized by extremely high temperatures in which electrons, ions and neutral particles exist in thermal equilibrium. In this state, both electrons and heavy particles possess nearly the same temperature, often reaching several thousand degrees celsius. Due to these high temperatures, thermal plasma is widely used in industrial applications such as metal cutting, welding, surface treatment and waste processing. However, the intense heat generated in thermal plasma systems makes them unsuitable for applications involving heat-sensitive materials such as food products and packaging materials. Therefore, thermal plasma is rarely applied in food processing technologies where preservation of nutritional and sensory quality is essential (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Varilla et al., 2020).
 
Non-thermal plasma
 
Non-thermal plasma, commonly referred to as cold plasma, operates under low-temperature conditions where electrons possess high kinetic energy while the bulk gas temperature remains close to room temperature. This non-equilibrium state enables the generation of highly reactive species such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), charged particles and ultraviolet radiation. These reactive components play a crucial role in the inactivation of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses. Because the overall temperature remains low, cold plasma can effectively reduce microbial contamination without causing significant damage to the nutritional, physicochemical, or sensory properties of food products. Due to these advantages, non-thermal plasma has emerged as one of the most promising technologies for food preservation, decontamination and packaging applications in the modern food industry (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Lee et al., 2022; Perera et al., 2022; Varilla et al., 2020).
 
Atmospheric plasma
 
Atmospheric pressure plasma operates under normal atmospheric conditions, eliminating the need for vacuum systems required in low-pressure plasma technologies. This characteristic makes atmospheric plasma systems more practical and cost-effective for large-scale industrial applications in the food processing and packaging industries. The technology enables the generation of reactive species at atmospheric pressure, which effectively inactivate microorganisms and improve food safety. Additionally, atmospheric plasma is widely used for surface modification of packaging materials, enhancement of surface energy and development of active packaging systems with improved antimicrobial properties. Due to these advantages, atmospheric pressure plasma has gained increasing attention in food preservation and packaging applications (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Varilla et al., 2020).
 
Plasma generation systems
 
Several plasma generation systems have been developed for food processing and packaging applications. The efficiency of these systems depends on operational parameters such as gas composition, applied voltage, frequency and treatment time. Different plasma reactor geometries and discharge systems significantly influence the generation of reactive species and treatment efficiency, thereby affecting microbial inactivation and surface modification performance (Zeghioud et al., 2020) (Fig 1).


 
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)
 
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is one of the most widely used plasma generation techniques in food processing and packaging. In this system, plasma is generated between two electrodes separated by a dielectric barrier, producing numerous micro-discharges that generate reactive species capable of microbial inactivation. DBD systems are particularly suitable for surface treatment and in-package applications due to their ability to operate efficiently at atmospheric pressure (Farooq et al., 2023; Lee et al., 2022; Perera et al., 2022).
 
Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ)
 
Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) generates plasma inside a narrow tube and expels it as a directed jet onto target surfaces. This allows localized and precise treatment of food products and packaging materials. APPJ systems are flexible, easy to control and suitable for applications requiring targeted microbial decontamination (Keewan et al., 2025; Kauser et al., 2025). Experimental studies on cold atmospheric plasma jets have also demonstrated significant physicochemical changes and reactive species generation, further supporting their effectiveness in microbial decontamination and surface treatment applications (Baniya et al., 2021).
 
Gliding Arc plasma
 
Gliding arc plasma is generated by applying high voltage between diverging electrodes with a flowing gas producing a moving arc that generates reactive species. This system has shown strong potential for microbial inactivation in liquid foods and dairy products while preserving nutritional quality (Grządka et al., 2026; Gou et al., 2026).
 
Mechanism of microbial inactivation
 
The antimicrobial activity of cold plasma is mainly due to the combined action of reactive species, charged particles and UV radiation, which interact with microbial cells and disrupt their structural and functional integrity (Sharma and Singh, 2022; Xing et al., 2025) (Fig 2).


 
Reactive oxygen species
 
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as ozone (O₃), hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) are key contributors to microbial inactivation. These species oxidize cellular components including lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, leading to irreversible damage. DBD-based systems are particularly effective in generating these reactive species for food and packaging applications (Farooq et al., 2023; Nwabor et al., 2022; Perera et al., 2022).
 
Ultraviolet radiation
 
Ultraviolet radiation generated during plasma discharge contributes significantly to microbial inactivation by damaging DNA and preventing replication. The synergistic effect of UV radiation with ROS and RNS enhances overall antimicrobial efficiency, making cold plasma highly effective for food safety applications (Varilla et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2022; Xing et al., 2025).

Cell membrane damage
 
Cold plasma induces structural damage to microbial cell membranes through oxidative stress and ion bombardment. This leads to increased membrane permeability, leakage of intracellular contents and eventual cell death. These combined physical and chemical effects make cold plasma effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms (Perera et al., 2022; Katsigiannis et al., 2022).
 
Applications in food processing
 
Cold plasma technology has emerged as a promising non-thermal approach for improving food safety and extending shelf life. It effectively reduces microbial contamination while preserving nutritional and sensory properties of foods. Applications have been reported across various food systems including meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables (Farooq et al., 2023; Ferreira et al., 2025; Keewan et al., 2025).
 
Meat preservation
 
Cold plasma treatment has demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli in meat products. It maintains sensory quality while enhancing microbial safety, making it a viable alternative to conventional preservation methods (Bauer et al., 2017; Kim et al., 2020; Ferreira et al., 2025).
 
Dairy products
 
Cold plasma has been used successfully in dairy processing to reduce microbes in milk and other liquid products without affecting their nutritional value. Advanced plasma systems, including gliding arc plasma, have demonstrated encouraging outcomes in maintaining physicochemical properties while ensuring safety (Grządka et al., 2026; Amini et al., 2024). Furthermore, investigations into dairy-based formulations have revealed that processing conditions markedly affect the sensory attributes, stability and functional properties of dairy products, underscoring the necessity of optimizing treatment parameters to enhance product quality (Nuraeni et al., 2026).
 
Fruits and vegetables
 
Cold plasma has been widely studied for postharvest treatment of fruits and vegetables. It reduces microbial load, delays spoilage and extends shelf life without affecting freshness or nutritional quality. This makes it a promising technology for fresh produce preservation (Alemu and Intipunya, 2025; Keewan et al., 2025; Varilla et al., 2020).
 
Applications in food packaging
 
Cold plasma technology has emerged as an effective approach for improving the functionality and safety of food packaging systems. Plasma treatment modifies the physicochemical properties of packaging materials, enhances antimicrobial activity and reduces microbial contamination on packaging surfaces. These improvements help prevent post-processing contamination and maintain food quality during storage and distribution (Farooq et al., 2023; Perera et al., 2022; Kauser et al., 2025). Recent studies have also highlighted the role of cold atmospheric plasma in developing sustainable and biodegradable packaging materials with improved environmental compatibility. Furthermore, recent advances in starch-based active packaging materials further support the integration of plasma technology with biodegradable packaging systems (Yudhistira et al., 2024). Plasma-assisted bio-sterilization techniques have also demonstrated significant potential for enhancing packaging hygiene and extending food shelf life without the use of harmful chemical preservatives (Barjasteh et al., 2021; Barjasteh et al., 2024).
 
Surface sterilization
 
Cold plasma treatment is widely applied for sterilization of food packaging materials. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), charged particles and ultraviolet radiation generated during plasma discharge interact with microorganisms present on packaging surfaces such as polymer films and containers. These interactions cause structural damage to microbial cells, resulting in effective inactivation. Consequently, plasma treatment reduces post-processing contamination and enhances food safety (Bauer et al., 2017; Katsigiannis et al., 2022; Maccaferri et al., 2024).
 
Active packaging
 
Cold plasma is extensively used to modify the surface characteristics of packaging materials by improving properties such as surface energy, wettability and adhesion. These modifications facilitate the incorporation of antimicrobial coatings, nanoparticles and bioactive compounds onto packaging films. Plasma-treated materials can therefore be utilized to develop active packaging systems capable of inhibiting microbial growth and maintaining food quality during storage (Bahrami et al., 2020; Nwabor et al., 2022; Sasikumar et al., 2025). In addition, functional biopolymer films with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties are increasingly being combined with plasma treatment to develop advanced active packaging materials with enhanced preservation efficiency and packaging performance (Periyasamy et al., 2025). Cold plasma-treated edible films incorporated with plant extracts have also demonstrated improved antimicrobial activity and enhanced food packaging safety (Ghadiminejad et al., 2025).
 
Shelf-life extension
 
Cold plasma treatment significantly enhances the barrier and antimicrobial properties of packaging materials. Plasma-modified films exhibit improved resistance to microbial contamination and reduced permeability to gases and moisture. Furthermore, in-package plasma systems allow treatment within sealed packages, preventing recontamination and ensuring extended shelf life of food products (Alaguthevar et al., 2024; Kim et al., 2020; Nikzadfar et al., 2024).
 
Advantages of cold plasma
 
Cold plasma technology offers several advantages over conventional preservation methods. Being a non-thermal process, it is suitable for heat-sensitive foods and minimizes nutrient degradation. It produces minimal chemical residues, making it environmentally friendly and safe for food applications. Additionally, it is energy-efficient and effective against a wide range of microorganisms while preserving sensory and nutritional quality (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Keewan et al., 2025; Xing et al., 2025).
 
Limitations and challenges
 
Despite its promising potential, several limitations hinder the large-scale application of cold plasma technology in the food industry. High equipment cost and the need for specialized systems remain major constraints. Moreover, process parameters such as voltage, gas composition, exposure time and treatment distance require precise optimization to ensure consistent microbial inactivation.
       
Another key challenge is industrial scalability, as most studies are currently limited to laboratory-scale applications. Further research is required to develop cost-effective and scalable plasma systems. In addition, regulatory approval and standardization of processing protocols are essential for commercial adoption of cold plasma technology in food processing and packaging industries (Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Perera et al., 2022; Farooq et al., 2023).
 
Comparative analysis of cold plasma and conventional food processing technologies
 
In the last few years, a number of new technologies have been made to help keep food safe from bacteria and improve its shelf life. The food industry uses a lot of traditional preservation methods, such as chemical sanitizers, thermal processing and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. These methods do work to lower the number of microbes, but they can also cause problems like breaking down nutrients, leaving chemical residues and changing the taste and smell of food in ways that aren’t good. Consequently, alternative non-thermal technologies have garnered significant attention, with cold plasma resulting as a promising method due to its robust antimicrobial efficacy and negligible effect on food quality (Farooq et al., 2023; Mehta and Yadav, 2022).
       
Cold plasma technology has gained increasing recognition as an effective alternative to conventional preservation methods due to its ability to inactivate microorganisms while preserving food quality. Unlike thermal processing, which often leads to degradation of heat-sensitive nutrients, cold plasma operates under non-thermal conditions and minimizes quality loss. Recent studies have highlighted that cold plasma not only ensures microbial safety but also maintains sensory and physicochemical properties of food products, making it a promising technology for modern food processing systems (Punniyamorthy et al., 2024).
       
Thermal processing techniques such as pasteurization and sterilization are highly effective in reducing microbial contamination. However, exposure to high temperatures can degrade heat-sensitive nutrients and adversely affect flavor, texture and color of food products. In contrast, cold plasma operates at near-ambient temperatures and preserves the nutritional and sensory attributes of food while achieving efficient microbial inactivation (Feizollahi et al., 2020; Ferreira et al., 2025).
       
Ultraviolet (UV) treatment is another non-thermal method commonly used for surface decontamination. While UV radiation is simple and cost-effective, its antimicrobial efficiency is limited by low penetration depth and shadowing effects on uneven surfaces. Cold plasma overcomes these limitations by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which can diffuse more effectively across surfaces and enhance microbial inactivation (Varilla et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2022).
       
Chemical sanitizers such as chlorine and hydrogen peroxide are widely used for disinfecting food products and packaging materials. Although these agents provide strong antimicrobial activity, their use may result in chemical residues and environmental concerns. Cold plasma reduces reliance on such chemicals and offers a cleaner, residue-free alternative for food preservation and safety enhancement (Perera et al., 2022; Kauser et al., 2025).
       
In general cold plasma technology has a number of benefits over traditional preservation methods. These include non-thermal processing, little nutrient loss and being good for the environment. However, before it can be widely used in the food processing and packaging industries, problems like high equipment costs, finding the best processing parameters and making it scalable for use in factories need to be solved (Farooq et al., 2023; Xing et al., 2025) (Table 1).


 
Mechanisms of cold plasma interaction with food and packaging materials
 
Cold plasma technology interacts with food products and packaging materials through a complex combination of physical and chemical processes. During plasma generation, various reactive components such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), charged particles, electrons, ions, ultraviolet radiation and neutral radicals are produced. These reactive species play a crucial role in microbial inactivation, surface modification of packaging materials and improvement of food safety and quality. The interaction between plasma species and food or packaging surfaces leads to several important mechanisms, including oxidative reactions, etching, surface activation and cross-linking of polymer molecules (Farooq et al., 2023; Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Xing et al., 2025).
       
One of the primary mechanisms of cold plasma treatment is oxidative degradation of microbial cells. Reactive oxygen species such as ozone (O₃), hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) interact with microbial cell components including lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. These oxidative reactions damage the cell membrane and intracellular structures, ultimately resulting in microbial inactivation. This mechanism is highly effective against bacteria, fungi and spores associated with food spoilage (Perera et al., 2022; Varilla et al., 2020).
       
Cold plasma also induces surface modification of packaging materials, particularly polymer-based films. Plasma treatment increases surface energy and introduces functional groups such as hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl groups onto polymer surfaces. These changes improve wettability, adhesion and compatibility with antimicrobial coatings or bioactive compounds, enabling the development of active and intelligent packaging systems (Bahrami et al., 2020; Nwabor et al., 2022; Karthik et al., 2024).
       
Another important mechanism is etching and surface roughening. The interaction of ions and reactive species with material surfaces causes micro-level erosion and structural changes, leading to increased surface roughness. This enhances surface area and improves the bonding of coatings, nanoparticles, or antimicrobial agents, thereby improving barrier properties and functional performance of packaging materials (Katsigiannis et al., 2022; Maccaferri et al., 2024).
       
Cold plasma treatment can also change the quality of food by controlling oxidation reactions. Plasma treatment doesn’t have a big effect on important nutrients like proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates when done in the right way. Instead, it helps keep the physicochemical and sensory properties while lowering the risk of microbial contamination. So, it’s important to know how these interactions work in order to get the best treatment results and make sure they are safe to use in food systems (Keewan et al., 2025; Wang et al., 2022).
 
Future research directions
 
Cold plasma technology showed great promise in food processing and packaging, but there are still some research gaps. One important thing that needs to be done is to improve the plasma treatment parameters, like the voltage, treatment time, gas composition and distance between the plasma source and the food surface. These factors have a big effect on how many reactive species are made, which in turn affects how well microbes are killed and the quality of the food. Systematic investigations are essential to determine optimal processing conditions for various food matrices and packaging systems (Farooq et al., 2023; Sharma and Singh, 2022).
       
Another important research direction involves the development of large-scale industrial plasma systems. Most current studies are limited to laboratory-scale experiments and there is insufficient data on commercial scalability. Future research should focus on designing cost-effective, energy-efficient plasma equipment that can be integrated into industrial processing lines. Continuous processing systems and in-package plasma technologies are particularly promising for industrial adoption (Alaguthevar et al., 2024; Kauser et al., 2025).
       
Safety evaluation is another critical area that requires further investigation. Although cold plasma is considered a safe and environmentally friendly technology, the formation of reactive species and possible chemical by-products must be thoroughly assessed. Comprehensive toxicological studies are necessary to evaluate the safety of plasma-treated foods and ensure compliance with regulatory standards (Mehta and Yadav, 2022; Xing et al., 2025).
       
Additionally, for plasma treatment to be used in industry, the protocols need to be standardized. At the moment, there aren’t any clear rules about process parameters, equipment design, or validation methods. Setting up international standards and rules will make it easier for the food industry to use and accept cold plasma technology (Perera et al., 2022).
               
Future research should also focus on integrating cold plasma technology with other emerging approaches such as nanotechnology, edible coatings and advanced active packaging systems to improve food safety and preservation efficiency. The combination of cold plasma with biodegradable materials and functional coatings has shown promising potential for enhancing antimicrobial activity, improving packaging functionality and extending the shelf life of food products. In particular, the integration of cold plasma with edible coating technologies has gained increasing attention for improving fresh produce quality and promoting sustainability in food packaging systems (Monyela et al., 2025). Continued interdisciplinary research and technological advancements are therefore essential to optimize these combined technologies and support their large-scale industrial application (Sasikumar et al., 2025; Umair et al., 2023).

Cold plasma technology has emerged as a promising non-thermal approach for improving food safety, quality and shelf life through the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, charged particles and ultraviolet radiation that effectively inactivate microorganisms. Its ability to operate at near-room temperature makes it particularly suitable for heat-sensitive foods, ensuring minimal loss of nutritional and sensory attributes. Recent studies have further highlighted its potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional preservation methods, offering improved microbial safety while maintaining the physicochemical properties of food products. In addition, advancements in food processing and formulation strategies emphasize the importance of maintaining product quality and stability through innovative technologies.
       
In addition to its direct application in foods, cold plasma has also shown great promise in food packaging through its ability to modify the surface of packaging materials, provide antimicrobial effects and support the development of active and smart packaging systems. These advancements contribute to extended shelf life and enhanced food safety in various food products, including dairy products, where processing conditions significantly influence stability and sensory characteristics. However, challenges such as process optimization, scale-up and regulatory approval continue to limit its widespread commercial adoption. Therefore, future research should focus on optimizing treatment protocols, ensuring safety and integrating cold plasma with emerging technologies to improve scalability and promote its use as a sustainable technology in future food processing and packaging applications.

Disclaimers
 
The views and conclusions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of their affiliated institutions. The authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided, but do not accept any liability for any direct or indirect losses resulting from the use of this content.
 
Informed consent
 
All animal procedures for experiments were approved by the Committee of Experimental Animal care and handling techniques were approved by the University of Animal Care Committee.

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. No funding or sponsorship influenced the design of the study, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.