Recent advances in photoluminescent fluorescent probe technology for food flavor compounds analysis

The real-time, precise qualitative and quantitative sensing of food flavor compounds is crucial for ensuring food safety, quality, and consumer acceptance. As indicators for food flavor labeling, it is vital to delve deep into the specific ingredient and content of food flavor compounds to assess the food flavor quality, but still facing huge challenges. Photoluminescent fluorescent probe technology, with fast detection and high sensitivity, has shown immense potentials in detecting food flavor compounds. In this review, the classification and optical sensing mechanism of photoluminescent fluorescent probe technology are described in detail. Besides, challenges in applying photoluminescent fluorescent probe technology to analyze food flavor compounds are outlined to indicate future research directions. We hope this review can provide an insight for the applications of photoluminescent fluorescent probe technology in the evaluation of food flavor quality in future.