Advancing Food Safety Surveillance: Rapid and Sensitive Biosensing Technologies for Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria

Abstract

Foodborne pathogenic bacteria critically threaten public health and food industry sustainability, serving as a predominant trigger of food contamination incidents. To mitigate these risks, the development of rapid, sensitive, and highly specific detection technologies is essential for early warning and effective control of foodborne diseases. In recent years, biosensors have gained prominence as a cutting-edge tool for detecting foodborne pathogens, owing to their operational simplicity, rapid response, high sensitivity, and suitability for on-site applications. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of critical biorecognition elements, such as antibodies, aptamers, nucleic acids, enzymes, cell receptors, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), and bacteriophages. We highlight their design strategies, recent advancements, and pivotal contributions to improving detection specificity and sensitivity. Additionally, we systematically examine mainstream biosensor-based detection technologies, with a focus on three dominant types: electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, and piezoelectric biosensors. For each category, we analyze its fundamental principles, structural features, and practical applications in food safety monitoring. Finally, this review identifies future research priorities, including multiplex target detection, enhanced processing of complex samples, commercialization, and scalable deployment of biosensors. These advancements are expected to bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world food safety surveillance, fostering more robust and practical solutions.

Keywords: biorecognition elements; biosensors; food safety monitoring; foodborne pathogenic bacteria; rapid detection.

Figure 3

(A) Schematic diagram of a portable dual-aptamer microfluidic chip biosensor for B. cereus detection based on aptamer tailoring and dumbbell−shaped probes [33]. Copyright 2023, Elsevier. (B) Principle design diagram of CRISPR/Cas14a and PCN−222@AuPt nanozyme-based electrochemical biosensor for detection of S. aureus [40]. Copyright 2025, Elsevier.

Figure 6

(A) Schematic representation of detection mechanism of thread−based microfluidic aptasensor for V. parahaemolyticus detection [91]. Copyright 2021, Elsevier. (B) Schematic diagram of an antimicrobial peptide−based potentiometric sensor for the detection of S. aureus [99]. Copyright 2021, Springer Nature. (C) Schematic diagram of the fabrication of S. aureus biosensor based on Cu−MOFs [104]. Copyright 2023, Elsevier.

Figure 7

(A) Schematic diagram of the ratiometric fluorescence detection strategy for E. coli using ZTMs@FITC probes [139]. Copyright 2025, Springer Nature. (B) Schematic illustration of a novel dual-mode ICA biosensor based on PDA-AuNPs for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 [141]. Copyright 2023, Elsevier. (C) Schematic diagram of an integrated microfluidic chip-based colorimetric biosensor for the detection of Salmonella [153]. Copyright 2023, Elsevier.

Figure 8

(A) Schematic diagram of a fiber optic SPR sensor based on antimicrobial peptides and AgNPs−rGO for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 [157]. Copyright 2018, Elsevier. (B) Schematic principle of the designed sandwich−type SERS biosensor for S. aureus detection [168]. Copyright 2022, Elsevier. (C) Schematic of a dendrimer−integrated SERS and incremental learning−inspired system for rapid detection of four pathogenic bacteria [170]. Copyright 2024, Elsevier.

Figure 9

(A) Schematic of an aptamer-functionalized QCM sensor coupled with magnetic preconcentration for L. monocytogenes detection [211]. Copyright 2022, Springer Nature. (B) Schematic of a SAW biosensor for E. coli detection [214]. Copyright 2020, Elsevier.

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of biosensor components for foodborne pathogen detection, including representative biorecognition elements and major transducer types.

Figure 2

(A) Illustration of the proposed immunosensor for S. aureus detection [25]. Copyright 2022, Elsevier. (B) Schematic diagram of a microfluidic biosensor for rapid detection of S. typhimurium based on magnetic separation, enzymatic catalysis, and electrochemical impedance analysis [26]. Copyright 2022, Elsevier. (C) Schematic diagram of the sandwich model composed of Mn-MOF-74 impedance probe and immunomagnetic beads for the detection of L. monocytogenes [27]. Copyright 2021, Elsevier.

Figure 4

(A) Hybrid recognition-enabled ratiometric electrochemical sensing of S. aureus via in situ growth of MOF/Ti₃C₂Tx-MXene and a self-reporting bacterial imprinted polymer [61]. Copyright 2025, Elsevier. (B) Preparation process of MIP-PEC sensor and schematic illustration of its photoelectric detection mechanism for E. coli [62]. Copyright 2024, Elsevier.

Figure 5

(A) Schematic diagram of machine vision-assisted Argonaute-mediated fluorescent biosensor for detection of live Salmonella in food [69]. Copyright 2024, Elsevier. (B) Schematic diagram of a CuO₂@SiO₂ nanoparticle-assisted click reaction-mediated magnetic relaxation biosensor for the rapid detection of Salmonella in food [70]. Copyright 2025, Elsevier.