Harnessing Plasma Directed Electron Beam (PDEB) Technology to Ensure Food Safety, Maintain Product Quality and Reduce Food Loss and Waste

Mycotoxins are a predominant contributing factor to food loss, especially in developing countries, and have become a recurring challenge for food safety. Using herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides is a common practice that has long been associated with negative impacts on agriculture, the environment, and human health. There is a global demand for the use of energy-efficient and environmentally responsible methods to preserve food. Plasma Futures is developing a portable nitric oxide (NO) generator based on the Plasma Directed Electron Beam (PDEB™), a proprietary low-temperature plasma technology that allows on-demand production and delivery of high-purity NO. Using this technology, NO-activated water can be produced by passing generator output through water. The NO-activated water offers an innovative, chemical-free solution to combat bacteria and fungi, thus reducing food contamination without harmful residues. This project will first optimize and characterize the PDEB NO generator to ensure stable and efficient NO output. Subsequently, a procedure for producing NO-activated water for crop treatment will be established. The final step will assess the efficacy of NO-activated water in controlling crop-harming fungi and mycotoxin production, as well as underlying mechanisms of activity. Portable PDEB NO generators can fight fungal and bacterial infections in hospitals where infection control is critical. This NO generator will also help farmers, grocers, and distribution centers improve and maintain crop quality, thus minimizing food waste. Most of all, its portable design allows it to be used in remote areas with limited access to other technologies.