Recent Advances in Microfluidics-Based Electrochemical Sensors for Foodborne Pathogen Detection

Abstract

Using pathogen-infected food that can be unhygienic can result in severe diseases and an increase in mortality rate among humans. This may arise as a serious emergency problem if not appropriately restricted at this point of time. Thus, food science researchers are concerned with precaution, prevention, perception, and immunity to pathogenic bacteria. Expensive, elongated assessment time and the need for skilled personnel are some of the shortcomings of the existing conventional methods. Developing and investigating a rapid, low-cost, handy, miniature, and effective detection technology for pathogens is indispensable. In recent times, there has been a significant scope of interest for microfluidics-based three-electrode potentiostat sensing platforms, which have been extensively used for sustainable food safety exploration because of their progressively high selectivity and sensitivity. Meticulously, scholars have made noteworthy revolutions in signal enrichment tactics, measurable devices, and portable tools, which can be used as an allusion to food safety investigation. Additionally, a device for this purpose must incorporate simplistic working conditions, automation, and miniaturization. In order to meet the critical needs of food safety for on-site detection of pathogens, point-of-care testing (POCT) has to be introduced and integrated with microfluidic technology and electrochemical biosensors. This review critically discusses the recent literature, classification, difficulties, applications, and future directions of microfluidics-based electrochemical sensors for screening and detecting foodborne pathogens.

A Short Review on Miniaturized Biosensors for the Detection of Nucleic Acid Biomarkers

“…The transducer is the element that transforms the biorecognition event into a quantifiable signal, while the probe serves as the biorecognition molecule and recognizes the target DNA when it is immobilized on the transducer surface. In nucleic acid biosensors, the hybridization event has been detected using a variety of detection technologies, including label-free ones such as piezoelectric and SPR transduction and others that frequently require labels, such as electrochemical approaches [ 69 , 70 , 71 ]. Recently, a number of reviews that explain all the critical facets of the transduction phase have appeared in the literature [ 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 ].…”

“…The fundamental prerequisite for a functional system when working with complicated sets of probes is the capacity of each probe to hybridize its target orders with high similarity and specificity under the same demanding circumstances. Additionally, some probes that can vary in chemical configuration and conformation have been used to assemble nucleic acid-based sensors [ 70 ]. Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are neutral N-(2-aminoethyl)-glycine pseudo-peptides that mimic DNA by attaching the nucleobases.…”

On-Chip Electrochemical Sensing with an Enhanced Detecting Signal Due to Concentration Polarization-Based Analyte Preconcentration

“…Electrochemical sensors shift the systems equilibrium state by applying potential or charge and detecting electron transfer based on reduction–oxidation (redox) properties of the target analyte, thus detecting a specific redox analyte in the solution. − These sensors have major advantages such as high sensitivity, speed, and cost-effectiveness. − In microfluidic channels, electrochemical sensors can be used and monitored with higher efficiency due to analytes convection, miniaturization, portability, low sample and reagent consumption, and high throughput. − Thus, electrochemistry can be a fast and efficient method to detect changes in the analyte concentrations and properties in a flowing system.…”

Multiplex PCR-Lateral Flow Dipstick Method for Detection of Thermostable Direct Hemolysin (TDH) Producing V. parahaemolyticus

“…Further, these culture-based methods are prone to human error and can result in false-positive or false-negative data interpretation [5]. Nowadays, many types of biosensors have been developed for food safety assessment, especially electrochemical sensors and DNA-immunobiosensors [12,13]. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and its extended modification have been widely used to identify pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus from clinical, environmental, and seafood samples [14].…”