Comparative Analysis of Helium and Air Surface Micro-Discharge Plasma on the Microbial Reduction and Quality Attributes of Beef Slices

Beef is one of the widely consumed protein sources in the world, so the safety and quality of beef have been of great concern globally. Recently, cold plasma has been developed as a novel non-thermal, cost-effective and eco-friendly food processing technology applied in food sterilization. Helium (He) and air are widely used working gas of cold plasma. Although the antimicrobial effects of He and air plasma against pathogens on meats have been extensively investigated, the comparison of their antimicrobial effects on beef and especially for their influence on beef quality are rarely studied.