Edible Electrochemistry: Food Materials Based Electrochemical Sensors

Abstract

This study demonstrates the first example of completely food-based edible electrochemical sensors. The new edible composite electrodes consist of food materials and supplements serving as the edible conductor, corn, and olive oils as edible binders, vegetables as biocatalysts, and food-based packing sleeves. These edible composite electrodes are systematically characterized for their attractive electrochemical properties, such as potential window, capacitance, redox activity using various electrochemical techniques. The sensing performance of the edible carbon composite electrodes compares favorably with that of "traditional" carbon paste electrodes. Well defined voltammetric detection of catechol, uric acid, ascorbic acid, dopamine, and acetaminophen is demonstrated, including sensitive measurements in simulated saliva, gastric fluid, and intestinal fluid. Furthermore, successful biosensing applications are realized by incorporating a mushroom and horseradish vegetable tissues with edible carbon pastes for imparting biocatalytic activity toward the biosensing of phenolic and peroxide compounds. The attractive sensing performance of the new edible sensors indicates considerable promise for physiological monitoring applications and for developing edible and ingestible devices for diverse biomedical applications.

Disposable Sensors in Diagnostics, Food, and Environmental Monitoring

“…Commonly used electrode materials for the fabrication of disposable sensors include i) inert metals (gold, silver, palladium, or platinum); ii) semiconducting metal oxides (such as zinc oxide, tin dioxide, and tungsten trioxide for gas sensors, indium tin oxide for transparent electrodes and iridium oxide for pH sensing); and iii) carbon‐based materials (including glassy carbon, diamond, or ink‐based electrodes). In recent years, there has been a drive to create biodegradable and compostable electrodes (for example, using activated charcoal, magnesium, or melanin) for different electrochemical applications. When commercially available, this new class of electrodes may reduce the environmental impact and cost of disposable sensing devices.…”

“…For the design of ingestible sensors, the critical factors are i) the physical dimension of the capsule for easy ingestion, ii) the use of low‐power electronics, iii) the application of biocompatible but resistant materials (both for the capsule and biomolecules) due to highly acidic conditions, and iv) safe data transmission to an external receiver. Some ingestible disposable electrochemical sensors can be produced using digestible food‐based materials, including carbon composites as conductors, corn and olive oil as binders, vegetables as biocatalysts and hollow food sleeves (such as green bean or penne) as packing, for measurements in saliva, gastric or intestinal fluids . Since both ingestible and digestible sensors are edible, they do not require sample preparation, and are either metabolized or excreted from the body naturally.…”

Real Time Analysis of Bioanalytes in Healthcare, Food, Zoology and Botany

“…Such a sensor would allow monitoring of the signal in situ over the course of digestion with the sensor traveling in the body. A recent effort to design totally edible electrochemical electrodes has explored food materials, including edible food sleeves, olive oil and edible activated charcoal ( Figure 4 d) [ 165 ]. Packed inside food (e.g., hollow penne, cookie and green bean), these electrodes are capable of well-defined voltammetric measurements of uric acid, ascorbic acid and dopamine.…”

“…( d ) Illustration of edible electrodes that are comprised of edible activated charcoal, edible food sleeves and olive oil loaded into different food products. Reprinted with permissions from [ 165 ].…”

Laser‐Induced Graphene Composites for Printed, Stretchable, and Wearable Electronics

“…Energy harvesting and storage, wireless sensors,1d,2 wearables, e‐textiles, biomedical sensors, food sensors, and intelligent packaging represent the few examples of Internet of Things (IoTs) that will rely on new methods of fabrication, which favors scalability and high performance. Printed electronics offer a promising solution, where numerous types of electronics can be mass fabricated with inexpensive printing technologies at such speed and quantity that would enable these devices to become affordable and ubiquitous .…”