Antibody-based sensing of pesticide residues and mycotoxins in plant-derived foods: A narrative review of ELISA, lateral-flow immunoassays and immunosensors

Abstract

Cereals and their products, as well as fruits and vegetables, form a major constituent of the human diet worldwide. These food items can become contaminated with mycotoxins during farming, transportation, or storage. They are exposed to pesticides mostly during cultivation and also during storage and transportation, where pesticides are applied to prevent pest infestation. Exposure to pesticides and mycotoxins can have detrimental health effects on humans. Hence, there is an urgent need for analytical techniques for rapid, sensitive, and on-site detection of pesticides and mycotoxins in food items. In this regard, antibody-based sensing platforms can be an alternative to traditional adulterant detection technology. The review delineates the issues that affect the quality of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and cereal-based products and can harm consumer health. Furthermore, the review provides a comprehensive overview of antibody-based sensing methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), and immunosensors for detecting mycotoxins and pesticide residues in the food matrices. The review suggests that competitive ELISA and LFIA formats were the most extensively investigated approaches for detecting adulterants and contaminants. Among immunosensor-based methods, the electrochemical immunosensors demonstrated the most effectiveness, followed by optical immunosensors.