Recent Progresses in Nanobiosensing for Food Safety Analysis

Abstract

With increasing adulteration, food safety analysis has become an important research field. Nanomaterials-based biosensing holds great potential in designing highly sensitive and selective detection strategies necessary for food safety analysis. This review summarizes various function types of nanomaterials, the methods of functionalization of nanomaterials, and recent (2014-present) progress in the design and development of nanobiosensing for the detection of food contaminants including pathogens, toxins, pesticides, antibiotics, metal contaminants, and other analytes, which are sub-classified according to various recognition methods of each analyte. The existing shortcomings and future perspectives of the rapidly growing field of nanobiosensing addressing food safety issues are also discussed briefly.

Keywords: food safety analysis; function of nanomaterials; nanobiosensing.

Figure 1

(a) Schematic illustration of the enzyme-induced metallization colorimetric assay for the detection of E. coli cells; (b) UV–vis absorption spectra of the colorimetric assay toward various E. coli concentrations; (c) The blue shift in the longitudinal LSPR peak toward various E. coli concentrations (inset: the corresponding photographs). Reprinted with permission from [78]. Copyright (2016) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Figure 2

Schematic illustration of PGM-based immunosensing protocol using mAb-AuNP-gated PEI-mesoporous silica NPs loading with glucose. Reprinted with permission from [8]. Copyright (2014) American Chemical Society.

Figure 3

Schematic illustration of the UCNPs–AuNPs fluorescence assay for the detection of pesticides. Reprinted with permission from [38]. Copyright (2015) Elsevier.

Figure 4

Schematic of the paper-based microfluidic device for multiplex chemical contaminants detection using ssDNA-functionalized GO sensors. Reprinted with permission from [111]. Copyright (2014) Elsevier.