OMVE introduces the CP121 Cold Plasma Demonstrator
Safeguarding our foods by expanding knowledge

The recent outbreaks of pathogens found at the surface of vegetables and peanuts have shown the urgent need for updating our strategies in the control over pathogens. Consumer’s expectations on safe foods, without the addition of preservatives, have challenged food scientists to explore innovative solutions on decontamination. There is scientific evidence and a common believe that the disinfection of the surfaces of foods by cold atmospheric plasma is an effective, economical means to meet the consumer demands while retaining the initial quality of foods. What is keeping equipment manufacturers, food companies and legislative authorities to utilize gas plasma disinfection systems at large, is a reliable standard to control and manage this method.

OMVE Netherlands B.V. has taken the remarkable initiative to provide, maintain and secure a traceable standard on cold plasma gases. The CP121 Cold Plasma Demonstrator is a versatile device that allows the controlled production and analysis of various plasma gases. This standard provides full control over critical processing conditions to ensure that microbial inactivation has taken place. The device is offered as open source hardware to allow unbiased comparison of results obtained by different laboratories. CP121 Cold Plasma Demonstrators are found in leading food microbiology laboratories around the world. It has boosted the learning curve of a new generation of food technologists, which have a responsibility in maintaining the high level of food safety.

The CP121 was developed in corporation with Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands and the Commission of the European Communities, NovelQ, Framework 6, Priority 5 'Food Quality and Safety' through contract FP6-CT-2006-015710.