Fluorescent probes for the detection of biogenic amines, nitrite and sulfite in food: Progress, challenges and perspective

Foodborne contaminants such as biogenic amines (BAs), nitrite and sulfite are harmful to human health. To safeguard food safety, the content of BAs, nitrite and sulfite should be strictly controlled. Small-molecule fluorescent probes are a promising analytical tool for monitoring BAs, nitrite and sulfite because they are highly sensitive and selective, offer simplicity of operation, and can enable optical signal visualization of the analyte. In this review, we summarize the most recent progress on the development of fluorescent probes for selectively detecting BAs, nitrite, and sulfite. In particular, we discuss the working mechanisms, sensing performance, and practical applications of various fluorescent probes that have been developed in recent years for detecting BAs, nitrite, and sulfite, with a particular emphasis on the utilization of these probes in food. Lastly, we discuss the research directions, trends, and prospects of molecular fluorescent probes in food applications in the future. We hope this review can offer conceptual and design guidance for researchers and practitioners to develop novel fluorescent probes for food safety.