** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COLD ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE PLASMA (CAPP) IS A NOVEL FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY. CAPP, OR COLD PLASMA, IS THE FOURTH STATE OF MATTER. PLASMA FROM THE AIR, WHICH HAS MULTIPLE REACTIVE SPECIES, IS USED TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY, IMPROVE FOOD QUALITY AND SHELF-LIFE, AND REDUCE FOOD ALLERGENS AND TOXINS. HOWEVER, DETERMINING THE OPTIMAL DOSAGE OF CAPP IS VERY CHALLENGING DUE TO THE SIMULTANEOUS ACTION OF MULTIPLE REACTIVE SPECIES AND OTHER AGENTS IN CAPP.IN THIS PROJECT, WE PLAN TO DEVELOP ENZYME- AND DNA-BASED BIOSENSORS THAT WILL CORRESPOND TO THE LEVEL OF MICROBIAL INACTIVATION AND PERCENT CHEMICAL DEGRADATION AT VARIOUS DOSES OF CAPP. SPECTROSCOPY AND OTHER DATA RESPONSES GENERATED FROM THE BIOSENSORS WILL BE USED TO TRAIN MACHINE-LEARNING MODELS TO PREDICT THE DOSES OF CAPP. THE MODELS WILL THEN BE APPLIED AND RECALIBRATED FOR PLASMA-TREATED FOOD AND FOOD CONTACT SURFACES TO PREDICT PLASMA DOSE AND CORRELATE TO FOOD QUALITY.THE COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS OF OUR RESEARCH TEAM WILL ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THIS PROJECT AND WILL PROVIDE FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE ON PLASMA DOSAGE. STANDARDIZING PLASMA TREATMENT WILL AID THE ADVANCEMENT OF THIS NOVEL TECHNOLOGY IN THE INDUSTRY AND HELP WITH REGULATORY APPROVAL.