Research and application of cold plasma in processing and cold preservation of fresh export guava

Abstract

The storage and preservation of fruits and vegetables are currently performed using methods like freezing, air conditioning, chemical disinfectants. These methods require a highinvestment, but could hardly inhibit the growth of molds, harmful microorganisms. They may also cause dehydration of fruits and fail to achieve the preservation purpose. Chemical disinfectants are mainly sprayed and fumigated with chemical disinfectants such as formaldehyde, sulfite and sodium hypochlorite, and there are relatively serious drug residues and environmental pollution problems. Cold plasma technology is the most advanced mothod today, which is a technological breakthrough in sterilizing and preserving fruits without using harmful chemicals, preserving food, allowing to extend time of making fresh fruits as well as products many times, improving the value of goods, having great significance in protecting the environment, improving living conditions, increasing health, improving export quality, bringing benefits to the whole society. Application of cold plasma technology to preserve fruits has been studied by some authors in the world and in Vietnam. Vietnam National University, Hanoi; VinIT Institute of Technology has researched and published on vegetables and fruits cherry, apple, melon, kiwi. In this paper, the results of research and application of bactericidal and mold-killing methods are presented in combination with the process of preserving fresh guava in cold storage. The obtained results have met the requirements quality according to Vietnamese standards.