Advances in colorimetric-photothermal dual-mode biosensors for food safety: Mechanism, applications and challenges.

Abstract

There has been considerable attention given to the development of integrated dual-modal sensing methods, which are created by combining two signal transduction channels into a single method, due to the increasing demand for high-performance sensing methods, particularly in food safety. The role of these sensing approaches in improving performance based on reducing assumptions, introducing flexible, and accurate sensing platforms is undeniable. The top two output signals for emerging dual-modal probes are photothermal and colorimetric, due to their excellent benefits for real-time or rapid detection and point-of-care (POC) applications. Interestingly, the emerging photothermal and colorimetric signals have created reliable assays due to dual-signal cross-validation. Furthermore, the implementation of material chemistry and nanotechnology in these dual-mode biosensors has played fundamental roles in their functionality for food safety purposes. The application of designing functional nanomaterials (NMs) and engineering photothermal nanostructures has introduced real-world applicability in complex food matrices. This review is a comprehensive summary of several colorimetric and photothermal dual-modal sensing methods for food safety, particularly focusing on the numerous targets. We carefully examine the sensing mechanism, underlying the principles of signal transduction, and the role of NMs, while also addressing the challenges and future prospects for advancing research in this field.