Antimicrobial and preservative effect of plasma-activated sodium alginate coating on small yellow croaker during storage
摘要
This study evaluated and compared the antibacterial and preservative effects of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP), plasma-activated water (PAW) and plasma-activated sodium alginate (PASA) on small yellow croaker. Edible sodium alginate coating was plasma-activated to develop a dual-functional PASA coating with antibacterial and antioxidant properties, effectively mitigating ACP’s induced lipid oxidation. PASA reduced Escherichia coli (O157:H7) and Staphylococcus aureus counts by 3.87 and 2.61 log CFU/mL, respectively, comparable to plasma activated water (PAW). In antioxidant assays, PASA demonstrated DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of 26.7% and 58.7%, respectively, exceeding ACP and approaching PAW levels. During 4 °C storage, ACP extended the shelf life by four days but significantly increased lipid oxidation. In contrast, PASA extended shelf life by two days while reducing lipid oxidation by 43.12% compared to ACP, as indicated by lower TBARS values. These findings highlight PASA’s potential as a dual-functional edible coating for seafood preservation, offering antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits without chemical additives.