Electrochemical biosensors: The beacon for food safety and quality

Abstract

Electrochemical biosensors transduce chemical reactions into measurable electrical signals by incorporating recognition components. Although they are capable of detecting a broad range of target molecules, their application in complex matrices, such as food, at minimum or no sample preparation, is challenging and requires the introduction of innovative and effective strategies. This review explores the recent advances in electrochemical biosensors for on-site food safety and quality analysis. We first discuss the presence of chemical contaminants and biohazards in food and the need for robust, rapid, low-cost, and point-of-care (POC) analytical techniques. We then address the critical aspects of sensitivity and selectivity of electrochemical biosensors in detecting chemical and biological contaminants in real food samples. We finally investigate the major drawbacks of these biosensors and provide future perspectives on the field.