Single-atom materials for food safety

Abstract

Food safety has garnered global concern. The food production chain, “from harvest to table”, provides multiple opportunities for contact with hazardous substances. Thus, detection, removal, and control of risks from the food production chain are necessary. Single-atom materials (SAMs), in which the atomically dispersed and catalytically active metal atoms are stabilized by surrounding atoms, possess the maximum usage efficiency of active metal sites. Benefiting from their unique structures and catalytical properties distinct from the traditional nanomaterials, SAMs have emerged as the frontier of research field in food safety. In this review, we briefly summarize recent advances in the synthesis, characterization and properties of SAMs. Following that, the applications of SAMs in food safety are highlighted, such as food detection, food preservation, food packaging and food cleaning. Specifically, the advantage of SAMs in food safety and their structure-performance are highlighted. Finally, we present current challenges and provide possible approaches for the future development of SAMs towards food safety.