Research Progress of Functional Nucleic Acids-Based Biosensor in the Sensitive Detection of Foodborne Pathogens

Foodborne pathogen contamination is a major global public health issue, highlighting the need for rapid, sensitive, and portable detection technologies. Conventional methods such as microbial culture, polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are limited by complexity, low sensitivity, and high cost, restricting on-site use. Functional nucleic acids (FNAs), including aptamers and DNAzymes, have emerged as versatile molecular recognition elements for next-generation biosensors. Their programmability, stability, and specificity enable reliable real-time food monitoring. Moreover, nucleic acid-based signal amplification methods greatly enhance detection sensitivity. This review summarizes recent advances in FNA-based biosensors for foodborne pathogen detection, covering screening strategies like systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, sensing mechanisms with various readouts (fluorescence, colorimetry, electrochemistry), and innovative amplification strategies for improving practical application in food safety monitoring. Representative biosensor designs, mechanisms, and performances are highlighted. Finally, existing challenges and future perspectives for enhancing detection accuracy are discussed. FNA-driven biosensors hold great promise for preventing foodborne diseases and advancing portable, high-sensitivity detection platforms.