Plasma-activated water (PAW), the water or solutions treated with atmospheric cold plasma, is an eco-friendly technique with minimal changes in food products, making it a befitting alternative to traditional disinfection methods. Due to its potential microbicidal properties, PAW has been receiving increasing attention for applications in the food, agricultural, and biomedical fields. In this article, we aimed at presenting an overview of recent studies on the generation methods, physicochemical properties, and antimicrobial activity of PAW, as well as its application in the food industry. Specific areas were well discussed including microbial decontamination of food products, reduction of pesticide residues, meat curing, sprouts production, and disinfection of food contact materials. In addition, the factors influencing PAW efficiency were also well illustrated in detail, such as discharge parameters, types and amounts of microorganisms, characteristics of the liquid solution and food products, and treatment time. Moreover, the strategies to improve the efficacy of PAW were also presented in combination with other technologies. Furthermore, the salient drawbacks of this technology were discussed and the important areas for future research were also highlighted. Overall, the present review provides important insights for the application of PAW in the food industry.

The present work aimed to investigate the effect of plasma-activated water (PAW) on seed germination and seedling growth of mung bean sprouts. Distilled water was exposed to non-thermal plasma for 15, 30, 60, and 90 s to prepare PAW, which was defined as PAW15, PAW30, PAW60, and PAW90, respectively. The germination rate, growth characteristics, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were all maximized when mung bean seeds were treated by PAW15, then followed by a decline over the prolonged plasma activation time (30–90 s). PAW15 caused no remarkably changes in the antioxidant capacity of sprouts as compared to DW (p > 0.05). However, the antioxidant activity of sprouts prepared with PAW30, PAW60, and PAW90 were decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared with that of sprouts soaked in distilled water. In summary, PAW may be used to improve the production of sprouts, but the process parameters should be optimized for each application. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Probiotics are beneficial for human health. However, they are vulnerable to adverse effects during processing, storage, and passage through the gastrointestinal tract, thus reducing their viability. The exploration of strategies for probiotic stabilization is essential for application and function. Electrospinning and electrospraying, two electrohydrodynamic techniques with simple, mild, and versatile characteristics, have recently attracted increased interest for encapsulating and immobilizing probiotics to improve their survivability under harsh conditions and promoting high-viability delivery in the gastrointestinal tract. This review begins with a more detailed classification of electrospinning and electrospraying, especially dry electrospraying and wet electrospraying. The feasibility of electrospinning and electrospraying in the construction of probiotic carriers, as well as the efficacy of various formulations on the stabilization and colonic delivery of probiotics, are then discussed. Meanwhile, the current application of electrospun and electrosprayed probiotic formulations is introduced. Finally, the existing limitations and future opportunities for electrohydrodynamic techniques in probiotic stabilization are proposed and analyzed. This work comprehensively explains how electrospinning and electrospraying are used to stabilize probiotics, which may aid in their development in probiotic therapy and nutrition.