Advances in nanomaterials based electrochemical sensors for rapid detection of food additives: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Foodborne illness caused by additives and toxins like nitrites, Vannilin, Atrazine, Nitronezene, etc., poses a significant risk to the food industry. To address public health concerns, it is essential to have a safe, cost-effective, efficient, and rapid method for analyzing food additives and contaminants. During the last decade, the application of nanotechnology-derived materials in developing electrochemical sensors has significantly increased. Nanoparticles and nanostructures have played a vital role in nanotechnology-based sensing approaches to enhance sensitivity and selectivity, improve sample preparation, create innovative designs, and increase portability. This review highlights the recent advancements in the design, fabrication, and characterization of the most common categories of electrochemical sensing materials. These include graphene-based materials, metal nanoparticles, metal oxide nanocomposites, and conducting polymer nanocomposites, all focused on enhancing food safety evaluation. The discussion on the interaction and synergistic effects of metal oxide/graphene/conducting polymer-based nanocomposites, along with the analytical performance of modified sensors is the salient feature. It covers the current standards for the development of sensitive, cost-effective, and compact nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors for rapid evaluation of food/beverage safety and quality control, as well as the challenges associated with practical implementation.