Development of a rapid and sensitive fluorescent probe for high-throughput detecting SO₂ in food samples

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), widely used as an antioxidant and preservative in food production, has been associated with detrimental cardiovascular and neurological effects when consumed excessively. This highlights the pressing need to develop a fast and sensitive probe capable of high-throughput screening for the quantitative determination of SO₂ in food. Herein, we synthesized a new fluorescent probe, namely B3, specifically designed for high-throughput detection of SO₂ in food. The vinyl chloride aldehyde within the B3 structure engages in a nucleophilic addition reaction with SO₂, contributing to B3's exceptional selectivity for SO₂, and fast response time within 9 s. Furthermore, by integrating B3 with a microplate reader, we effectively achieved high-throughput detection of SO₂ concentration up to 45 μM within a pH range of 5.5 to 8.0 in real food samples. This accomplishment serves as a significant contribution to ensuring consumer safety and facilitating health assessments.