Advances in electrochemical aptasensors: aptamer selection, construction and application in food safety

The increasing number of contaminants has exacerbated food safety issues, promoting the development of highly sensitive, specific, and rapid detection technologies for screening purpose. The electrochemical aptasensors demonstrate significant potential in food safety monitoring by combining the high specificity and affinity of aptamers and the excellent sensitivity of electrochemical sensors. They can rapidly detect a variety of contaminants in food samples, such as pathogens, drug residues, and heavy metals, by binding specifically to target analytes and then converting their concentrations into detectable electrochemical signals. This review first describes current aptamer selection technology, followed by overviewing the construction of electrochemical aptasensors, particularly focusing on the electrode modification materials and the aptamer immobilization methods. Subsequently, the application of electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of various contaminants in the field of food safety is summarized and discussed. Finally, the review concludes with a summary of key findings and future perspectives.