Electrochemical Peptide-Based Sensors for Foodborne Pathogens Detection

Abstract

Food safety and quality control pose serious issues to food industry and public health domains, in general, with direct effects on consumers. Any physical, chemical, or biological unexpected or unidentified food constituent may exhibit harmful effects on people and animals from mild to severe reactions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), unsafe foodstuffs are especially dangerous for infants, young children, elderly, and chronic patients. It is imperative to continuously develop new technologies to detect foodborne pathogens and contaminants in order to aid the strengthening of healthcare and economic systems. In recent years, peptide-based sensors gained much attention in the field of food research as an alternative to immuno-, apta-, or DNA-based sensors. This review presents an overview of the electrochemical biosensors using peptides as molecular bio-recognition elements published mainly in the last decade, highlighting their possible application for rapid, non-destructive, and in situ analysis of food samples. Comparison with peptide-based optical and piezoelectrical sensors in terms of analytical performance is presented. Methods of foodstuffs pretreatment are also discussed.

Keywords: electrochemical sensors; food contamination; food safety; peptide; quality control.

Figure 1

Structural composition of proteins and peptides.

Figure 2

The biological recognition elements used for electrochemical biosensors development (from left to right): enzymes, antibodies, aptamers, peptides, whole cells, and MIP.

Figure 3

Overview of peptide-based sensors applications in food safety and quality control.

Figure 4

An overview of the major structural classes of AMPs. (A) α-Helical peptides, (B) β-sheet peptides, and (C) extended peptides. Copyright (2021) Elsevier [32].

Figure 5

(A) Schematic representation of the AMP-based biosensor for L. monocytogenes detection at interdigitated microelectrode modified with antimicrobial peptides (AMP); (a) representation of the interdigitated electrode; (b) functionalization of the electrode with cysteamine AMP; (c) screening of bacterial cells. (B) Real-time measurements of binding of bacteria to the peptide sensor; (a) representation of the experimental assembly with the highlighting of the microelectrodes; (b) representation of array with fluidic chamber; (c,d) testing the peptide-based sensor. Copyright (2021) American Chemical Society [52].

Figure 6

(A) Schematic representation of the potentiometric sandwich assay based on short AMP pairs for the detection of L. monocytogenes. (B) Structural formula of the original peptide. (C) Sequence and extended structure of the original peptide. (D) Calculated folded structures of the original peptide and synthesized split peptide pairs. Copyright (2021) American Chemical Society [55].

Figure 7

(A) Schematic representation of the elaboration and testing protocol of the electrochemical sensor for fenitrothion pesticide based on self-assembled peptide-nanotubes modified disposable pencil graphite electrode (PNT/PGE). (B) SWVs of fenitrothion pesticide at PNT/PGE for different concentrations from 0.114 to 1.712 μM. (C) Relationship between the peak currents and fenitrothion pesticide using PNT/PGE. Copyright (2021) Elsevier [64].

Figure 8

Schematic representation of the preparation protocol of the imprinted nanoparticles (left). Interaction between nanoparticles and immobilized peptide by QCM and the representative time courses of frequency change of the 27 MHz QCM (right). Copyright (2021) American Chemical Society [68].