Abstract
The cold gas plasma technology is a promising approach for non-thermal disinfection and sterilization of packaging material. Taking advantage of plasma-specific mechanisms like UV radiation, radical chemistry and particle bombardment, microorganisms as well as hazardous biomolecules like endotoxins or prions can be efficiently inactivated or removed from surfaces respectively. Due to the moderate temperatures, gas plasmas are suitable for the treatment of thermosensitive polymers like plastics, which are common packaging materials in food and pharmaceutical industry. The high decontamination efficiency and the versatility of plasma technology enable extensive applications in packaging processes.