Engineered nanomaterials‐based sensing systems for assessing the freshness of meat and aquatic products: A state‐of‐the‐art review

Abstract Meat and aquatic products are susceptible to spoilage during distribution, transportation, and storage, increasing the urgency of freshness evaluation. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) typically with the diameter in the range of 1–100 nm exhibit fascinating physicochemical properties. ENMs‐based sensing systems have received extensive attention for food freshness assessment due to the advantages of being fast, simple, and sensitive. This review focuses on summarizing the recent application of ENMs‐based sensing systems for food freshness detection. First, chemical indicators related to the freshness of meat and aquatic products are described. Then, how to apply the ENMs including noble metal nanomaterials, metal oxide nanomaterials, carbon nanomaterials, and metal–organic frameworks for the construction of different sensing systems were described. Besides, the recent advance in ENMs‐based colorimetric, fluorescent, electrochemical, and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensing systems for assessing the freshness of meat and aquatic products were outlined. Finally, the challenges and future research perspectives for the application of ENMs‐based sensing systems were discussed. The ENMs‐based sensing systems have been demonstrated as effective tools for freshness evaluation. The sensing performance of ENMs employed in different sensing systems depends on their composition, size, shape, and stability of nanoparticles. For the real application of ENMs in food industries, the risks and regulatory issues associated with nanomaterials need to be further considered. With the continuous development of nanomaterials and sensing devices, the ENMs‐based sensors are expected to be applied in‐field for rapid detection of the freshness of meat and aquatic products in the future.