Application and development of signal amplification strategy in detection of antibiotic residues in food

Food is essential for the proper functioning of the human body, and small molecule contaminants, such as antibiotics, have become a growing concern due to their harmful effects on both biological systems and the environment. These contaminants can enter the food supply through the use of antibiotics in animals, potentially causing significant health and ecological damage. As a result, detecting these pollutants, especially at trace levels, has become increasingly important. Aptamer sensors have gained popularity for this purpose because of their high stability, specificity, ease of modification, and low cost. To improve the sensitivity of these sensors, various signal enhancement strategies are used. These strategies aim to better detect small molecule contaminants, with many relying on nanomaterials and nucleic acid amplification techniques to amplify signals. Nanomaterials, which come in different forms such as zero-dimensional, one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional, play a crucial role in improving the performance of these sensors. This article provides an overview of these signal enhancement approaches, discussing the challenges and potential future directions for the development of aptamers in food contamination detection.