CHAPTER5 - Nanotechnology-oriented sensors for the quick recognition of foodborne microbes and pathogens

Abstract

Food being the basic need to mankind has been subjected to a wide array of processing conditions to ensure its safety before it reaches the consumer plate. Foodborne pathogens pose food infections and poisoning if it is ingested by humans like gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and in severe cases leads to death. Approximately 250 foodborne pathogens have been identified in food products by researchers which cause morbidity and mortality to public health. In this context, food safety is considered the most important tool to nurture the public from the probability of foodborne microbes and pathogens like Clostridium botulinum which produces a neurotoxin if it is not eliminated causes the deadliest condition called “botulism.” Food processing industries are in a search of innovative techniques to eradicate certain food poisoning microbes and pathogens by investing crores together. The already existing convention methods to safeguard food recipes are time-consuming, strenuous, and require trained analysts with revolutionary instruments. The concept of nanotechnology and nano-based diagnostic techniques has paved the way for the usage of nanocompounds in the development of biosensors for the instant recognition and testing of foodborne pathogens through transferring the signals to intensify their capability and sensitivity. Hence the researchers have to understand the need and scope of nano-based biosensors in tracking harmful food pathogens. For designing and developing the nano-biosensors, materials such as carbon nanotubes, magnetic and gold, dendrimers, graphene nanomaterials, and quantum dots are chiefly used to show better sensitivity and relevance in distinguishing between them the microbes present in food with its sole physical, chemical, optical and mechanical properties. The transmission and recognition of biomolecules like antibiotics, nucleic acid probes, and aptamers can be possible by integrating with nanoparticles is less time-consuming with promising results in microbial elimination by binding to discrete ligands like bacteria, viruses, toxins, etc. Detection of biomolecules at a smaller size can be achieved faster through nanoparticles (NP’s) by enhancing the surface-to-volume ratio. The features of the nanoparticles indeed vary depending on factors like surrounding environment, chemical reactions other criteria like physical, optical, electric and magnetic properties, core materials size and shape. The characteristics of nanoparticles are modulated in such a way that they should be able to bind different organic ligands of small size and large macro biomolecules. For diagnosing the microbes and pathogens in food articles, gold, magnetic, and fluorescent NP’s have been used due to their diagnostic effect. There are certain criteria to group all the nanoparticles used in the designing of biosensors like to augment the performance, rapid detection, and productivity in food pathogens. Though nanoparticle-based biosensors have shown progress in detecting pathogenic microbes, certain aspects need to be understood for the superior assessment of chronic, acute, and biological impacts on society. Apart from the potential risks, the food sectors need to clarify the legal ordinance of nanomaterials (NMs) followed by the epigenetic outcome, systematized assay and analytical perception at the miniature level of nucleic acids need to be considered in the fabrication and detection of special foodborne pathogens.