Revisiting small-molecule fluorescent probes in food freshness detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Microbial growth causes food spoilage, threatening public health and food security.
• Traditional food freshness tests are slow, complex, and not portable.
• Fluorescent probe detection offers high sensitivity, speed, and visual results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in organic small-molecule fluorescent probes for food freshness assessment.
• To highlight sensing mechanisms, target analytes, and applications of these probes.
• To identify current challenges and future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on organic small-molecule fluorescent probes for food freshness over the past three years.
• Analysis of sensing mechanisms (e.g., nucleophilic substitution, protonation/deprotonation, hydrogen-bonding, Lewis acid-base reactions, Michael addition).
• Identification of target analytes (e.g., biogenic amines, H2S, SO2 derivatives, pH, ATP, hydrazine).
• Examination of applications in portable test strips, smartphone sensing, and intelligent systems.

Main Results:

• Organic small-molecule fluorescent probes demonstrate high sensitivity, fast response, and visual detectability for food freshness.
• Various sensing mechanisms and target analytes have been successfully addressed.
• Applications in portable and intelligent detection systems show significant practical potential.

Conclusions:

• Fluorescent probes represent a promising technology for rapid and sensitive food freshness assessment.
• Challenges include single-target detection, limited anti-interference, and lack of predictive capabilities.
• Future research should focus on multi-target probes, AI integration for prediction, and industrial application.