Recent Advances in Electrochemical Biosensors for the Detection of Foodborne Pathogens: Current Perspective and Challenges

Foodborne pathogens cause many diseases and significantly impact human health and the economy. Foodborne pathogens mainly include Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, which are present in agricultural products, dairy products, animal-derived foods and the environment. Various pathogens in many different types of food and water can cause potentially life-threatening diseases and develop resistance to various types of antibiotics. The harm of foodborne pathogens is increasing, necessitating effective and efficient methods for early monitoring and detection. Traditional methods, such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and culture plate, are time-consuming, labour-intensive and expensive and cannot satisfy the demands of rapid food testing. Therefore, new fast detection methods are urgently needed. Electrochemical biosensors provide consumer-friendly methods to quickly detect foodborne pathogens in food and the environment and achieve extensive accuracy and reproducible results. In this paper, by focusing on various mechanisms of electrochemical transducers, we present a comprehensive overview of electrochemical biosensors for the detection of foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, the review introduces the hazards of foodborne pathogens, risk analysis methods and measures of control. Finally, the review also emphasizes the recent research progress and solutions regarding the use of electrochemical biosensors to detect foodborne pathogens in food and the environment, evaluates limitations and challenges experienced during the development of biosensors to detect foodborne pathogens and discusses future possibilities.

Automated summary

Foodborne pathogens have significant effects on human health and the economy. Various foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, are found in agricultural products, dairy products, animal-derived foods, and the environment. These pathogens in different types of food and water can cause life-threatening diseases and develop resistance to antibiotics. Traditional detection methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive, necessitating the urgent need for fast detection methods. Electrochemical biosensors provide accurate and reproducible results for the quick detection of foodborne pathogens in food and the environment. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of electrochemical biosensors for the detection of foodborne pathogens, discusses risk analysis methods and control measures, and highlights recent research progress and future possibilities.