A comprehensive review of vitamin-specific molecularly imprinted microparticles: synthesis, applications, and future prospects

Abstract

Vitamins are essential micronutrients crucial for human health, and their effective extraction and accurate detection are vital for public health and related industries. Molecularly imprinted microparticles (MIMs), known for their antibody-like specificity, structural stability, and adaptability to complex matrices, have demonstrated substantial advantages in vitamin extraction and detection. As the first review dedicated to vitamin-specific MIMs, this review systematically summarizes recent advancements in vitamin-specific MIMs, emphasizing novel synthesis strategies guided by computational simulations and green chemistry principles. We critically evaluate current applications of MIMs in extracting and pre-concentrating vitamins from food matrices and their potential as controlled-release carriers in medical applications. Additionally, we discuss the integration of MIMs with various analytical techniques for chromatographic, electrochemical, and optical detection. Current challenges, such as environmental impact, limitations in scalable production, insufficient biocompatibility studies, and performance gaps in detection platforms, are highlighted. Finally, future research directions are suggested to promote sustainable synthesis, computational optimization, standardization, and integration with portable real-time detection platforms, providing guidance toward scalable and sustainable industrial applications of vitamin-specific MIMs.