Recent advances in CRISPR-based detection of foodborne pathogens: Mechanistic foundations, technological advances,...

CRISPR-based biosensing has emerged as a rapid, sensitive, and field-deployable platform for foodborne pathogen detection, thereby effectively addressing the intrinsic limitations of conventional detection methodologies. By integrating CRISPR/Cas effectors with nucleic acid amplification (NAA) reactions and multiple signal transduction modes, these biosensing platforms exhibit considerable potential for the specific detection of key foodborne pathogens in complex food matrices. In this review, the molecular mechanisms underlying CRISPR/Cas-mediated pathogen detection, pivotal technological milestones, and the integration of CRISPR-based systems with diversified read-out strategies and advanced biosensing formats are systematically summarized. Furthermore, the persisting bottlenecks impeding the widespread application of these systems-including food matrix-induced inhibition, the lack of standardized detection devices, and limited multiplex throughput-are highlighted. Finally, future directions are outlined, where artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sequence mining and rational multiplex design are expected to accelerate the development of next-generation food safety surveillance systems, with concrete implementations in signal processing and decision-support workflows.