Design, preparation, and application of molecularly imprinted nanomaterials for food safety analysis with electrochemistry

Food safety is a matter of national health and life safety, and the establishment of scientific and effective detection methods has become an effective means of proper early warning, traceability and management of contaminants in food, which is one of the most effective ways to ensure food safety. In this context, electrochemical sensors based on novel nanomaterials have unique features such as high sensitivity, fast analysis speed, simple device operation and easy miniaturization, showing great analytical potential compared with other sensors. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), as sensor recognition elements, have the advantages of simple preparation, low cost and high chemical stability, and have a broad commercial prospect and high practical application value in the field of food safety analysis. Therefore, molecularly imprinted electrochemical (MIPs-EC) sensors using MIPs as recognition elements have received much attention and shown excellent performance. This review explores the recent progress of MIPs-EC sensors in three parts: Principles of molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor, relevant applications of MIPs-EC-based sensors in food safety analysis, and unavoidable challenges and future perspectives of MIPs-EC. This current and systematically presented review could contribute to the development of novel nanomaterials-based MIPs-EC sensor detection systems, commercial transient detectors, and efficient early warning mechanisms for researchers to monitor and control contaminants in food to ensure food safety and public health.