An ascorbic acid responsive nanoprobe for food shelf-life determination and plant growth assessment

Accurate monitoring of ascorbic acid (ASA) levels in fruits and vegetables is essential for assessing food quality, shelf-life, and nutritional value. In this work, we present a responsive nanoprobe, CoOOH@BSA-FITC, for ASA detection in aqueous solution, fruits, juices, and plants. CoOOH@BSA-FITC responds to ASA selectively and sensitively, resulting in enhancement of fluorescence at 520 nm and visible color changes. The practical applications were demonstrated by detecting ASA levels in fruit and vegetable juices, with results validated by chromatography methods. Additionally, the nanoprobe facilitated the determination of fresh juices' shelf life through monitoring of ASA levels. CoOOH@BSA-FITC nanoprobe-loaded test strips enabled quick ASA detection in intact fruits using smartphone-based technology. Furthermore, the nanoprobe demonstrated effectiveness in evaluating ASA in leaves of plants under varying growth conditions. This work thus offers a versatile tool for ASA detection with significant implications for food quality control, shelf-life assessment, and sustainable food and agricultural practices.