Enhanced fruiting body production and bioactive phytochemicals from white Cordyceps militaris by blending Cordyceps militaris and using cold plasma jet

The impact of cold plasma jet (CPJ) on fruiting body production and bioactive phytochemicals in white Cordyceps militaris blended with Cordyceps militaris (blended C. militaris ) cultured on solid media was evaluated. CPJ was driven by a 12 kV neon transformer with a duty cycle of 50% and a fixed flow rate of 5 L/min. Primarily, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) were produced, including nitric oxides, hydroxyl radicals, and atomic oxygen. Before solid media cultivation, the CPJ was activated in liquid media containing potato dextrose agar of blended C. militaris for different treatment times (30 to 120 s). Changes in fresh and dry weights and cordycepin content of the most sensitive blended C. militaris cultivar increased by 22.49, 22.56, and 25.23%, respectively. CPJ treatment markedly increased antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase and glutathione S- transferase, by 34.71 and 17.42%, respectively. Moreover, CPJ treatment significantly increased the contents of bioactive compounds, including total phenolic content and total flavonoid content. The changes in antioxidant activities in the fruiting bodies of blended C. militaris were assayed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities to assess ferric-reducing antioxidant power. Therefore, CPJ treatment can represent a promising nonthermal method to enhance fruiting body production and nutritional value of blended C. militaris , which has implications for human health.