SUBHEADLINE
“Researchers Develop Rapid, Low-Cost, and Portable Biosensors Using Gold Nanoparticles to Detect Contaminants and Allergens in Food, Ensuring a Safer and Healthier Global Food Supply”
NEW YORK TIMES, FOOD SECTION
In a breakthrough that could revolutionize the way we ensure food safety, scientists have developed a new generation of biosensors using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that can detect a wide range of contaminants and allergens in food. These rapid, low-cost, and portable sensors have the potential to transform the way we monitor food quality, making it easier to identify and remove harmful substances from the global food supply.
Food safety is a global issue, with common contaminants including pathogens, heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticides, herbicides, veterinary drugs, and illegal additives. Traditional detection methods, such as high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, are often expensive, time-consuming, and require specialized equipment and expertise. In contrast, AuNPs-based biosensors offer a simple, rapid, and cost-effective solution for on-site detection of contaminants and allergens.
AuNPs are versatile nanoparticles that can be designed to detect a wide range of targets, including illegal additives, such as malachite green, melamine, and erythrosine B. These additives are often used to enhance the appearance or extend the shelf life of food products, but they can pose serious health risks to consumers.
In a recent study, researchers developed an AuNPs-based biosensor that can detect malachite green, a triphenylmethane dye commonly used in fish farming, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 nM. The sensor uses a MG aptamer-modified AuNPs that changes color from red to blue in the presence of MG, allowing for a simple and rapid detection of the contaminant.
Another study demonstrated the use of Au nanorods as SERS probes to detect melamine, a common illegal additive in milk, with a LOD of 10 nM. The sensor uses a three-layer sandwich structure created by Au nanostars and graphene oxide, which enhances the SERS signal and allows for the detection of melamine at very low concentrations.
The potential applications of AuNPs-based biosensors are vast, and researchers are exploring their use in detecting a wide range of contaminants and allergens, including pesticides, herbicides, veterinary drugs, and heavy metals. These sensors could be used in a variety of settings, from food processing plants to farmers’ markets, to ensure that food products are safe for consumption.
The development of AuNPs-based biosensors is a significant breakthrough in the field of food safety detection. These sensors offer a rapid, low-cost, and portable solution for detecting contaminants and allergens in food, making it easier to ensure a safer and healthier global food supply. As the global food supply chain continues to evolve, the need for effective food safety detection methods will only continue to grow. The use of AuNPs-based biosensors could be a game-changer in this regard, providing a simple and effective way to ensure that food products are safe for consumption.
