Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Food Safety and Hygiene 2476-3241 12 1 2026 04 01 1 16 Leila Zare Student Research Committee, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Javaneh Karimi Department of Food Sciences and Technology, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Ehsan Sadeghi Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Fatemeh Barzegar Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2025 10 24 2026 07 09 Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), as a secondary metabolite by Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Alternaria, a potent carcinogen, is a major global food safety concern. Traditional decontamination methods often compromise food quality or leave residues. Non-thermal cold plasma presents a promising alternative, effectively degrading AFB1 without heat. This technology utilizes reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) to break down the toxin. Different systems—including dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), plasma jets, and corona discharge—have demonstrated high efficacy while preserving food quality. Their success depends on key parameters like gas composition, treatment time, and the food matrix itself. However, challenges remain for industrial adoption. Scaling up the technology, ensuring regulatory approval, and maintaining the sensory and nutritional properties of treated food are critical hurdles. Future research should explore hybrid methods combining plasma with other treatments and conduct long-term in-vivo safety studies. This review assesses the current state and future potential of cold plasma as a sustainable solution for mitigating AFB1 contamination and enhancing food security https://jfsh.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jfsh/article/view/593