Nanomaterial based sensors for detection of food contaminants: a prospect

Abstract

Food safety has emerged as a major social concern as a result of the frequent occurrence of food scandals. An effective and trustworthy approach for evaluating food is urgently needed because several ingredients in food, such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticides, and food-borne pathogens, can seriously endanger human health. Recently, time-consuming and labour-intensive conventional detection methods have faced competition from nanoparticle-based sensors act as a potential replacement or analytical tool. Nanoparticles including gold, silver, metal oxide nanoparticles, cerium nanoparticles, graphene carbon nanotubes, and carbon quantum dots provide various novel transduction principles and allow for increased sensitivity through signal amplification. Nanostructures and nanoparticles (NPs) are used in nano-based sensing techniques to increase sensitivity and selectivity, develop novel detection strategies, better prepare the samples, and improve mobility. The development and research of NP-based sensors for determining food safety has made considerable advances which are summarised in this study. This paper describes the most popular NP different types utilised in the construction of sensors for contamination detection in food. With an emphasis on sensors for the detection of both chemical and biological contaminants, such as pesticides, heavy metals, pathogenic bacteria, antioxidants, and mycotoxins, several colorimetric and NP-based detection techniques, with regard to their multiplexing capacities and sensitivity, are offered. The application of sensors in the creation of highly accurate and cost-effective detecting equipment for food analysis.