Biosensors

There is currently a desire to develop new analytical devices for the accurate testing of milk and dairy products within the dairy industry. Biosensors have emerged as an attractive technology capable of replacing traditional analytical methods for the screening of milk contents, foodborne pathogens, environmental contaminants, and chemical adulterants. In combination with nanomaterials and microfluidics, the number of developed biosensors for milk analysis has grown exponentially over the last decade or two. As such, the development of biosensors for routine analytical screening is becoming a reality, allowing for point-of-source detection, miniaturization of instrumentation, increased sensitivity, selectivity and robustness, the possibility for multiplex detection and a reduction in costs of fabrication. This chapter will discuss the current development of biosensors for milk and dairy analysis. The chapter will discuss the different types of components of a biosensor in terms of the receptor, biointerfaces, and transducer as well as the important analytes detected in milk. Finally, the role that nanotechnology and microfluidics have played in the development of new biosensing platforms in the context of the dairy industry will be discussed.