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Doctoral Thesis
Microbial Profiling and Cold Plasma Applications for Improving the Safety and Quality of Fresh Spirulina
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Murdoch University
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60867/00000065
Abstract
As the global food system faces increasing pressure from climate change, population growth, and resource limitations, the need for sustainable, nutrient-rich protein alternatives is more urgent than ever. Spirulina (Limnospira platensis formerly known as Arthrospira platensis), a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, is widely recognized for its high protein content, essential vitamins, and functional pigments. It is commonly used in food, feed and health products, and is often cultivated outdoors in open raceway ponds due to the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the system. However, these large-scale cultivation environments are vulnerable to microbial contamination, including bacteria and microzooplankton, which can compromise product quality, safety, and yield. To mitigate contamination risks, most commercial producers rely on thermal drying of the biomass, although this process can degrade valuable bioactive compounds such phycocyanin and certain vitamins. This presents a major barrier to delivering fresh Spirulina to the market in its most nutritious form. To address this, there is growing interest in non-thermal decontamination methods that ensure microbial safety without compromising product quality. One promising approach is cold plasma, a low-temperature, ionized gas with strong antimicrobial effects that has shown promise for treating heat-sensitive foods. However, its application to fresh Spirulina, especially under real outdoor cultivation conditions, has not been fully investigated. This research investigated the microbial communities present in outdoor Spirulina culture and evaluated two cold plasma-based strategies, bubbling cold plasma-activated air (BCPA) and plasma-activated water (PAW), to improve microbial safety while preserving the quality of fresh Spirulina biomass.
Details
- Title
- Microbial Profiling and Cold Plasma Applications for Improving the Safety and Quality of Fresh Spirulina
- Authors/Creators
- Odgerel Bumandalai
- Contributors
- Navid Moheimani (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of Environmental and Conservation SciencesKirsty Bayliss (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Biosecurity and One Health
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Identifiers
- 991005858493107891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Resource Type
- Doctoral Thesis
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