Microfluidic pretreatment devices for milk safety at the point of care

Milk is a vital nutrient source, playing an essential role in maintaining normal physiological functions and safeguarding human health. However, milk consumption may expose individuals to residual contaminants such as antibiotics and environmental pollutants, which pose serious threats to human health. Currently, traditional milk pretreatment technologies hinder the rapid detection of milk residues due to their cumbersome procedures, operational complexity, prolonged processing time, and high dependence on specialized personnel. Microfluidic devices have emerged as a promising tool for food safety monitoring in resource-limited settings due to their simplicity, portability, and rapid processing capabilities. Nevertheless, the lack of systematic summaries on microfluidic device development for milk pretreatment limits their widespread application. To overcome these drawbacks, this review first presents the types and preparation methods of microfluidic devices employed in milk pretreatment. Subsequently, it summarizes the emerging applications of these devices in this field. Finally, the current challenges and prospects are discussed.