Recent progress on bionic umami sensors for analysis of food flavor:A review

Umami is a key component that can enhance sensory pleasure and significantly improves nutritional value. Therefore, developing rapid and efficient umami detection techniques is crucial for flavor assessment and quality control in the food industry. Bionic taste sensors using taste receptors as sensitive elements can mimic mammalian taste perception to a certain extent and thus have attracted widespread attention. The sensitive element is an important part of the bionic sensor. This paper introduces the types, characteristics, and immobilization strategies of different umami sensitive elements, including receptors, cells, and tissues. The advantages and limitations of the corresponding constructed sensors are also summarized. Additionally, the current applications of the sensors in the analysis of receptor-ligand interaction mechanisms, the evaluation of umami synergistic effects, and the detection of meat freshness are described. Ultimately, the limitations and development trends of bionic umami sensors in food flavor evaluation are critically summarized and prospected.