Electrospinning-based sensing technologies: Opportunities for food applications.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Food Science

Background:

• Electrospinning is a versatile technique for producing polymer nanofibers.
• Nanofibers offer high surface area-to-volume ratios, ideal for sensing applications.
• Current food safety monitoring requires advanced, accessible technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore electrospinning fundamentals for creating tailored nanofibers for food industry sensing.
• To examine factors influencing nanofiber morphology for optimized sensing performance.
• To highlight the role of electrospun nanofibers in food analysis, sensing, and traceability.

Main Methods:

• Review of electrospinning principles and influencing factors (solution, process, environment).
• Analysis of nanofiber applications in detecting specific food contaminants and spoilage indicators.
• Examination of the potential for electrospinning in developing food sensing platforms.

Main Results:

• Electrospinning allows precise control over nanofiber morphology for tailored applications.
• Electrospun nanofibers effectively detect pesticide residues, antibiotics, heavy metals, and pathogens.
• These nanofibers are crucial for monitoring food components, freshness, and spoilage.

Conclusions:

• Electrospinning provides a robust platform for developing advanced food sensing technologies.
• Nanofiber-based sensors significantly enhance food analysis, traceability, and safety.
• This technology promises more accessible, affordable, and widespread food quality monitoring solutions.