Aptamer-Based Sensors Diagnostic for Food Pathogens

Abstract

Pathogen detection and identification are important challenges in food safety, the food industry, environmental monitoring, and the global economy. Foodborne diseases and public health are major concerns in human societies all over the world. Therefore, one of the most demanding points is the accessibility of rapid, sensitive, and reliable analytical detection technologies to make factual assessments of the risks of human and animal infections or contaminations generated by various pathogens. Currently, culture-based tests and immunological and molecular assays are the most common screening methods used in pathogen diagnosis. The limitations of existing methods, such as sample extraction, purification, enrichment, and separation, which can no longer meet the detection requirements in terms of public health, have caused the development of biosensors based on novel receptors with enhanced affinity, stability, time-saving, and cost-effectiveness. Aptamers as promising alternatives to antibodies have been used as novel biological receptors in biosensors. This chapter focuses on recent aptamer-based developed strategies including electrochemical, optical, and piezoelectric to detect frequent foodborne Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and viruses that may cause food poisoning, diseases, and even death. Moreover, the main signs of progress and the strengths and weaknesses of aptasensor implementation in food pathogen detection are showcased. Keywords: Aptasensors, rapid bio-recognition, pathogens, food security, disease control