Preservation is of utmost importance for storage to ensure the quality and safety of meat products. The susceptibility of chicken meat to spoilage caused by microbial contamination and lipid oxidation has been well-established (Katiyo, de Kock, Coorey, & Buys, 2020). This susceptibility has driven the necessity of employing preservatives to extend the shelf life of meat products. However, a modern shift in consumer preferences towards fresh and minimally processed foods has prompted the utilization of natural and edible preservation methods (Arrioja-Bretón, Mani-López, Palou, & López-Malo, 2020).

Addressing these challenges, innovative techniques have emerged in the food industry, with a particular focus on cold plasma technology (Shanker et al., 2023). This cutting-edge approach involves the creation of ionized gases at low temperatures and holds the potential to counteract microbial growth and lipid oxidation, two key factors affecting the quality of chicken meat during storage (Bourke, Ziuzina, Boehm, Cullen, & Keener, 2018). Cold plasma has gained attention for its ability to generate reactive species, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and various free radicals, which can effectively prevent microbial growth and oxidation in meat during storage (Hui, Fang, Ma, Hamid, & Li, 2023; Rothwell et al., 2022). Thus, it emerges as a promising tool for enhancing food safety and extending the shelf life of meat.

Among cold plasma methods, researchers have investigated the use of plasma-activated water (PAW) by substituting deionized water with organic acids (lactic, acetic, and citric) as natural chemical disinfectants (Kang et al., 2022; Lee et al., 2023). These acids are widely recognized and accepted as effective preservatives within the food industry (Zhou et al., 2023). Under specific conditions, the application of cold plasma treatment can synergistically enhance antimicrobial activity when combined with organic acids (Qian, Wang, Zhuang, Zhang, & Yan, 2020). The reactive species generated can contribute to the formation of peroxynitrous acid (ONOOH), which demonstrates potent antimicrobial properties as a strong oxidant (Ayala, Muñoz, & Argüelles, 2014; Lee et al., 2016).

Gallic acid-known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties-has garnered attention. However, concerns about its impact on chicken meat color have arisen (Kennedy, Stewart-Knox, Mitchell, & Thurnham, 2005). The gallic acid is a colorless or slightly yellow crystalline compound that negatively affects the appearance of meat (Kahkeshani et al., 2019). To address color-related issues, researchers have explored the use of gallic acids at low concentrations to minimize their effects. Instead, combining plasma with the mixture of gallic acids and other organic acids at low concentrations holds greater potential efficacy for meat preservation (Jyung, Kang, & Kang, 2023; Lee, Lee, et al., 2023). This method emerges as a feasible solution, preserving the desired meat color while simultaneously exhibiting strong antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.

Conventional analytical techniques for assessing meat quality pose challenges in managing large production volumes, time-consuming, destructive, lacks consistency and doesn't align with the meat industry's need for short assessment time (Cheng, Nicolai, & Sun, 2017; Xiong et al., 2015). As a result, there's a demand for alternative options that are faster, non-invasive, and have more precise results. Spectral techniques have been applied in the industry including hyperspectral imaging (HSI; Ismail, Yim, Kim, & Jo, 2023), nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR; Kim, Yim, Kim, Lee, & Jo, 2021; Kim et al., 2023) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS; Lee et al., 2023). Among recent technologies, HSI offers insight into meat quality within individual pixels from various locations without compromising sample integrity (Temiz & Ulaş, 2021). HSI delivers both spectral and image data in meat, addressing the impracticality of real-time metabolite detection during production (Ismail et al., 2023; Ismail, Yim, et al., 2023; You, Wang, Tian, & Xu, 2023).

To explore the effect of plasma-activated lactic-gallic acid on chicken meat, various techniques including spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging were employed to assess freshness, volatile changes, and metabolites. This research offers valuable insights into potential benefits and limitations of using various analytical techniques for meat quality evaluation. By discovery intriguing connections between treatment efficacy, quality assessments, metabolite composition, flavor, and HSI features, this research contributes to the evolving field of innovative chicken meat preservation techniques and measures their correlations. Consequently, the implications of this study are substantial for the poultry industry, showing the way for enhanced strategies to improve meat quality, prolong shelf life, and align with consumer preferences.