Objective Insight market requirements are leading the R&D at food technology area to provide ready-to-eat products, microbiologically safe, with organoleptic and nutritional added value, and as longest as possible shelf-life guided by international trade search of competitiveness. Powders are worldwide distributed commodities. Valuable properties associated to them are: stability; easy storage and transportation; nutritional compounds integrated in formulas; price; and limited microbial proliferation. In spite of these characteristics, nowadays the sterilization of powders is not completely solved. Spore-forming bacteria are widely capable to survive in powders during long periods of time, initiating after the rehydration process, a rapid germination and proliferative activity with fatal consequences mainly in infant and elderly. The present project aims to analyse the Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) technology application integrating the study of process parameters and reference powders characteristics to optimize the sterilization process of alimentary and pharmaceutical products. Moreover, the optimized conditions will be validated in real matrices, infant powder (milk formula and cereals) and multivitamin and protein complexes. Finally, the optimized conditions at pre-industrial level will be delivered in technical sheets regarding the technological, microbiological and risk-assessment relevant outputs of the project, contributing to provide the methodological basis for the industrial establishment of more sustainable production of a new generation of powdered products. Such system for powders sterilization has not been described previously and is one of the most ambitious points of research in the present MSCA framework. The present project aims to contribute to the cutting-edge of this technology application at International level, making a significant impact on the position of the European Union in the know-how regarding CAP application. Fields of science engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesfood technologyengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolorsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycologynatural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysisnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipids Keywords Powders sterilization cold atmospheric plasma non-thermal technology risk assessment nutritional compounds Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator HAUTE ECOLE SPECIALISEE DE SUISSE OCCIDENTALE Net EU contribution € 187 419,60 Address Route de Moutier 14 2800 Delemont Switzerland See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Espace Mittelland Jura Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 187 419,60