Chapter 19 - Lactate biosensor for assessing milk microbiological load

Abstract

Spoilage of milk and milk-based products is a major critical problem in the dairy industry. Milk spoilage was determined by analyzing the lactic acid concentration, acidity, pH, lactic acid bacteria count, and microbial metabolites (lactate). L-lactate (2-hydroxypropanoate) is a class of organic compounds that have been recognized as one of the significant analytes in dairy, bioprocess engineering, and fermentation industry. The L-lactate detection by standard conventional methods is time-consuming, difficult for in situ studies, and expensive. Therefore researchers are exploring highly selective L-lactate sensor development to overcome the current challenges in food processing industries and biological sectors. The recent development of high-throughput nanobiosensors has manifested a good scope for on-site detection of lactate or lactic acid in industrial- and lab-scale applications. Here, we reviewed an outline of the novel concepts for lactate sensing techniques and trends in transduction approaches. Further, nanobiosensors that may mimic the enzyme-like functioning using the nanomaterials, characterization studies, sensor design, quantification, and performance features have been discussed. These nanosensors may function as an alternate to the conventional testing methods and find a good application in various industries and research areas.