Nanotechnology-based approaches for rapid detection of chemical and biological contaminants in foods

Abstract

Abstract: Nanotechnology is one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields in agriculture and food science. The use of nanoscale materials in sensing and detection applications is growing rapidly, providing an alternative approach to traditional techniques for detection of chemical and biological contaminants in foods, beverages and other products. This chapter provides an overview of recent progress relating to the use of nanotechnology-based novel techniques in detection of food contaminants. It summarizes several classes of nanotechnology-based analytical techniques, including surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and its derived technologies, bioconjugated nanoparticles coupled with fluorescence detection methods, magnetic nanomaterial-based detection techniques, gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotube-based electrochemical biosensors, nanowire biosensors, and other techniques based upon the use of novel nanotechnology and nanomaterials. We also look into the future and predict what the future trends will be in nanotechnology-enabled sensing methods.