A ratiometric fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of benzoyl peroxide and hypochlorite in food

Chronic exposure to oxidants such as benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and hypochlorite (ClO⁻) poses significant health risks, driving the urgent need for sensitive detection methods. We developed a dual-emitting ratiometric fluorescence probe based on europium metal-organic frameworks encapsulated nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs@Eu-MOFs). This probe enables rapid detection within 1 min for BPO and 3 min for ClO⁻, demonstrating broad linear ranges (0.1–6.0 μM) with ultralow detection limits (6.80 nM for BPO, 5.78 nM for ClO⁻). N-CDs@Eu-MOFs successfully quantified both analytes in five real food matrices, showing recovery rates of 91.94–108.33 % for BPO and 91.25–107.22 % for ClO⁻, confirming its reliability in real-world applications. Additionally, portable N-CDs@Eu-MOFs-embedded gel beads were fabricated that facilitate smartphone-based BPO quantification through RGB analysis, achieving recovery rates of 91.41–105.44 % in food samples. This instrument-free approach combines laboratory-grade accuracy with on-site practicality, significantly advancing food safety monitoring.