THERE IS AN URGENT GLOBAL NEED TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND OTHER CONSUMERS BY OFFERING SAFELY PROCESSED MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, THERMAL MILK PROCESSING USUALLY LEADS TO UNWANTED CHANGES IN SENSORY ATTRIBUTES (DUE TO OVERHEATING) AND TO ALTERATIONS IN BIOACTIVE MILK NUTRIENTSWHICH HAVE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH BENEFITS.THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH A GREEN, NONTHERMAL PLASMA-BASED MILK PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL BE COMPACT, EASY TO OPERATE, AND EFFICIENT IN PRODUCING A SAFE PRODUCT WITH WELL-PRESERVED SENSORY AND NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND EXTENDED SHELF LIFE. THIS ADVANCED TECHNIQUE IS BUILT ON A NOVEL, CONTINUOUS-FLOW, LIQUID-PHASE PLASMA DISCHARGE (CLPD) REACTOR THAT IS HYPOTHESIZED TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY INACTIVATE PATHOGENS AS WELL AS ENDOGENOUS ENZYMES WHILE PRESERVING QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF THE RAW MILK. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROPOSAL INCLUDE 1) EVALUATING AND OPTIMIZING A NOVEL CLPD REACTOR FOR MICROBIAL INACTIVATION USING RAW MILKAND PASTEURIZED MILK CHALLENGED WITH INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL SPECIES, 2) IDENTIFYING OPERATING CONDITIONS OF THE CLPD PROCESS THAT OPTIMALLY PRESERVE THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF MILK WITHIN CONDITIONS THAT ACHIEVE SATISFYING MICROBIAL INACTIVATION, AND 3) DEVELOPING AN UP-SCALED CLPD PROTOTYPE FOR CONTINUOUSMILK PROCESSING AND COMPARING ITS PERFORMANCE TO THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE-SHORT-TIME PASTEURIZATION PROCESS. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL LAY THE TECHNICAL GROUNDWORK FOR REVOLUTIONIZING THE MILK PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE A HIGH-QUALITY, NUTRITIONALLY SUPERIOR MILK PRODUCT AT REDUCED COST AND REDUCED ENERGY USAGE. THIS WORK ADDRESSES THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITIES OF NIFA PROGRAM A1332, I.E., "DEVELOP AND VALIDATE ADVANCED AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES OR PROCESSES FOR FOOD PROCESSING, AND CLEANING AND SANITATION TO EFFECTIVELY REDUCE THE PRESENCE OF SURVIVING ENTERIC PATHOGENS" AND "DEVELOP AND VALIDATE NOVEL STRATEGIES FOR THE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF PERSISTENT RESERVOIRS OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS."