Impacts of Dielectric Barrier Discharge on Microbial Decontamination of Crystal Sugar for Using in Pharmaceutical Products

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Food Scientist and Engineer Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, Texas, USA

3 Plasma Physics Research Center, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

4 Department of Agricultural Mechanization, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on crystal-sugar contaminated with Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Aspergillus niger was studied with combined variables of power (5–15 w), time (2-10 min), and voltage (15-22 Kv). The total microbial loads of Gs (9×105) and An (9×104 CFU/g) loads were destructed (P ≤ 0.05) when the voltage and power were 22 Kv and ≥ 5 W. Additionally, their death values (D) were equal and below 1.18 min, respectively. Results showed that increasing voltage had at least 70% more effects on Gs sterilization than the time and power of DBD. Although the cold plasma has substantial destructive effects on the cell membranes, DNA, and protein of microorganisms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of A. niger, and G. stearothermophilus confirmed the disinfection process by changes happened in their sizes, configurations, and spores due to the cold plasma process. The DBD method (a non-thermal procedure) can be applied as a new antimicrobial practice to fully sterilized the purified crystal sugar and make it completely appropriate for pharmaceutical and baby food industry.

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Iranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 October 2023

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