AAPlasma Awarded U.S. Patent for Plasma-Based Food and Produce Disinfection Technology

AAPlasma LLC is pleased to announce the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,622,440 B2, titled “Food and Fresh Produce Disinfection Chamber Utilizing Fast Moving Liquid and Non-Equilibrium Plasma-Generated Species.”

This newly issued patent strengthens AAPlasma’s intellectual property portfolio around the use of non-equilibrium plasma-generated reactive species for safe, residue-free treatment of food and fresh produce. The invention describes a system and method for disinfecting produce using a combination of fast-moving liquid, plasma-generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and controlled treatment conditions designed to reduce microbial contamination while preserving product quality.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are highly vulnerable to microbial contamination throughout harvesting, processing, transport, and storage. Conventional approaches often rely on chemical sanitizers, large volumes of water, or treatment methods that may be difficult to apply uniformly to complex produce surfaces. AAPlasma’s patented approach addresses this challenge by using plasma chemistry to generate short-lived reactive species that can be delivered through a liquid-based treatment environment.

At the core of the patent is a treatment chamber designed to expose produce to plasma-generated species in a controlled manner. The system combines fluid motion, plasma activation, and chamber design to improve contact between reactive species and irregular food surfaces. This approach is intended to support rapid microbial reduction without relying on harsh thermal processing or persistent chemical residues.

“This patent represents an important step in AAPlasma’s broader effort to translate cold plasma science into practical tools for public health, food safety, and industrial processing,” said Dr. Gregory Fridman, CEO of AAPlasma LLC. “Fresh produce disinfection is a difficult problem because the surfaces are complex, the products are delicate, and the treatment must be effective without damaging quality. Plasma-generated chemistry gives us a powerful way to address microbial contamination while maintaining a cleaner and potentially more sustainable treatment pathway.”

The issued patent builds on AAPlasma’s long-standing work in atmospheric-pressure non-equilibrium plasma systems, including plasma-activated liquids, plasma-generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and scalable treatment chambers for biological and environmental applications. The technology may have relevance for produce washing, food processing, post-harvest treatment, supply chain sanitation, and other applications where safe microbial control is required.

For AAPlasma, the patent also reflects the company’s continued focus on moving plasma technologies beyond the laboratory and into deployable systems. By protecting core design elements and treatment methods, the company is positioned to pursue commercialization partnerships, field validation, and application-specific engineering for food safety markets.

AAPlasma will continue developing plasma-based platforms for disinfection, decontamination, environmental remediation, and industrial processing, with an emphasis on technologies that are effective, scalable, and practical for real-world use.