Biosensors - classification, characterization and new trendsBiosensors represent promising analytical tools applicable in areas such as clinical diagnosis, food industry, environment monitoring and in other fields, where rapid and reliable analyses are needed. Some biosensors were successfully implemented in the commercial sphere, but majority needs to be improved in order to overcome some imperfections. This review covers the basic types, principles, constructions and use of biosensors as well as new trends used for their fabrication.

The present study did not show any pronounced effects of AGEs on appetite and markers of inflammation, but did indicate that AGEs may affect postprandial ghrelin, oxidative stress, and glucose responses.

The importance of analyses of different parameters in food products and monitoring of a production process requires quick and reliable analytical methods and devices. For this purpose, biosensors can be a suitable option, whereas most of the current quality control techniques are time consuming, expensive, and unpractical. In this paper, we describe biosensors developed for analysis of different components present in food samples, namely, glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, lactic, malic, acetic, ascorbic, citric and amino acids, ethanol, glycerol, and triglyceride. Biosensors showed desirable sensitivity, selectivity, and response time required for various applications. They are often designed to avoid interference from components present in a complex sample to be analyzed.

Analyses in the clinical area need quick and reliable analytical methods and devices. For this purpose, biosensors can be a suitable option, whereas they are constructed to be simple for use, specific for the target analyte, capable of continuous monitoring and giving quick results, potentially low-costing and portable. In this article, we describe electrochemical biosensors developed for clinical diagnosis, namely for glucose, lactate, cholesterol, urea, creatinine, DNA, antigens, antibodies, and cancer markers assays. Chosen biosensors showed desirable sensitivity, selectivity, and potential for application on real samples. They are often designed to avoid interference with undesired components present in the monitored systems.

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Dietary advanced glycation end products (AGE) formed during heating of food have gained interest as potential nutritional toxins with adverse effects on inflammation and glucose metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the short-term effects of high and low molecular weight (HMW and LMW) dietary AGE on insulin sensitivity, expression of the receptor for AGE (RAGE), the AGE receptor 1 (AGER1) and TNF-α, F2-isoprostaglandins, body composition and food intake. For 2 weeks, thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a diet containing 20 % milk powder with different proportions of this being given as heated milk powder (0, 40 or 100 %), either native (HMW) or hydrolysed (LMW). Gene expression of RAGE and AGER1 in whole blood increased in the group receiving a high AGE LMW diet, which also had the highest urinary excretion of the AGE, methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1 (MG-H1). Urinary excretion of N ε -carboxymethyl-lysine increased with increasing proportion of heat-treated milk powder in the HMW and LMW diets but was unrelated to gene expression. There was no difference in insulin sensitivity, F2-isoprostaglandins, food intake, water intake, body weight or body composition between the groups. In conclusion, RAGE and AGER1 expression can be influenced by a high AGE diet after only 2 weeks in proportion to MG-H1 excretion. No other short-term effects were observed.

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Amperometric biosensors based on a gold planar electrode and on two types of nanocomposite electrodes consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the determination of L-malic acid designed for wine-makers were developed. The biosensors designed for wine-makers were constructed by immobilization of L-malate dehydrogenase and diaphorase within chitosan layers on the surface of the electrodes. The coenzyme NAD+ and the electrochemical mediator ferricyanide were present in the measuring solution. The current resulting from re-oxidation of produced ferrocyanide was measured at a working potential of +300 mV against an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The biosensor based on a gold electrode showed linearity over the range 10–520 µM with a detection limit of 5.41 µM. Calibration curves for biosensors utilizing nanocomposites were obtained both with the linear range of 10 to 610 µM. The detection limits were 1.57 and 1.77 µM, respectively. The biosensors showed satisfactory operational stability (no loss of sensitivity after 30 consecutive measurements) and storage stability (90% of the initial sensitivity after one year of storage at room temperature). The results obtained from measurements of wine samples were in a good correlation with the standard HPLC method. Satisfactory biosensor sensitivity, specificity and stability allowed their successful commercialization.