Biotechnological approaches for food frauds and rapid detection methods as preventive measures: a global perspective", with a special emphasis on microfluidics

Food fraud is an enormous challenge in the world with impact on consumer health, stability of the market, and trust. This review focuses on the key types of food fraud, such as adulteration, substitution, mislabelling and counterfeiting, as well as their ramifications with respect to food safety and regulation. For food authentication, traditional analytical methods such as chromatography, spectroscopy, and DNA-based assays are reliable but can be complicated, require a large amount of analysis, and require centralized laboratory facilities. Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (PADs) have thus become attractive platforms for rapid and decentralized food-fraud screening. Their application to milk and dairy products, honey, edible oil, meat, drinks, seafood and functional foods is discussed. They are discussed particularly with regard to their potential for miniaturized analysis, fast detection and integration into portable readout systems. Issues that still have to be addressed are sensitivity, cross-reactivity, matrix effects, standardization, and validation in various food matrices. The need for transparency and accountability in food supply chains may be further fostered by having integration with digital traceability technologies. In summary, the microfluidic platform is a complementary tool to existing analytical tools for rapid food authentication and food-fraud screening.