Seeing the invisible threats: Detecting egg white allergens using bio/nano-sensors; a comprehensive review

Eggs are a highly nutritious and widely available food, rich in essential nutrients such as lipids and proteins. However, they can trigger severe allergic reactions, especially in infants and children. These reactions often manifest as IgE-mediated symptoms affecting the nose and throat and, in some cases, can lead to life-threatening anaphylaxis. The primary allergens in eggs are found in the egg white (EW) and include ovalbumin, ovomucoid, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme. Additionally, avidin in EW has been studied for its anti-nutritional properties. Detecting EW allergens in food products can be challenging due to their presence in trace amounts and the natural interference of the food matrix. Recently, biosensors have emerged as sensitive, selective, and rapid methods for detecting EW in food products, offering a promising alternative to traditional detection techniques. This review presents various sensing technologies for detecting EW allergens in food, outlining the components and criteria for an ideal biosensor, different types of biosensors, and their applications in the food industry. It highlights the most commonly used biosensor types for detecting EW allergens, with particular attention to recent advancements in optical and electrochemical biosensors. This review assesses their performance, focusing on sensitivity, specificity, detection limits, and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges and opportunities in developing biosensors for analyzing EW.