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Biosensors
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Biosensors for Food Safety
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Biosensors for Food Safety

A special issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosensor and Bioelectronic Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 3575

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ramaraja Ramasamy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Senior Associate Dean, School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: electrochemical sensors; biosensors; bio-electrochemistry; energy storage and conversion
Dr. José I. Reyes-De-Corcuera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Interests: food safety; biosensors; enzyme catalysis
Dr. Baviththira Suganthan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
Interests: bio-electrochemistry; sensors; biotechnology; microbiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ensuring food safety across the supply chain is critical to minimizing foodborne disease outbreaks. The detection and quantitation of microbial pathogens and toxins in real time remains an unmet challenge because of the complex nature of food matrices and the trace levels of these pathogens and toxins that can cause disease. This Special Issue compiles recent biosensor research that combines the selectivity of biorecognition elements, novel transduction architectures, microfluidics, and novel data processing algorithms. The literature on biosensors for food safety is typically abundant and justifiably focuses on achieving low detection limits. However, the robustness, reproducibility, scalability, and applicability of many biosensors are rarely discussed, especially in the context of sample preparation. To maximize the impact of this Special Issue, authors are encouraged to include such discussion and perspectives in a special section within the conclusions section of each article.

Prof. Dr. Ramaraja Ramasamy
Dr. José I. Reyes-De-Corcuera
Dr. Baviththira Suganthan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bacteria
  • toxins
  • pesticidal residue/pesticides
  • fertilizers
  • fungus
  • viruses
  • food borne pathogens
  • biosensors
  • microfluidics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 6095 KiB  
Article
A Bacteriophage Protein-Based Impedimetric Electrochemical Biosensor for the Detection of Campylobacter jejuni
by Baviththira Suganthan, Ashley M. Rogers, Clay S. Crippen, Hamid Asadi, Or Zolti, Christine M. Szymanski and Ramaraja P. Ramasamy
Biosensors 2024, 14(8), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14080402 - 21 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2146
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is a common foodborne pathogen found in poultry that can cause severe life-threatening illnesses in humans. It is important to detect this pathogen in food to manage foodborne outbreaks. This study reports a novel impedimetric phage protein-based biosensor to detect C. [...] Read more.
Campylobacter jejuni is a common foodborne pathogen found in poultry that can cause severe life-threatening illnesses in humans. It is important to detect this pathogen in food to manage foodborne outbreaks. This study reports a novel impedimetric phage protein-based biosensor to detect C. jejuni NCTC 11168 at 100 CFU/mL concentrations using a genetically engineered receptor-binding phage protein, FlaGrab, as a bioreceptor. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was employed to measure changes in resistance upon interaction with C. jejuni. The sensitivity of the phage protein-immobilized electrode was assessed using the various concentrations of C. jejuni NCTC 11168 ranging from 102–109 colony forming units (CFU)/mL). The change transfer resistance of the biosensor increased with increasing numbers of C. jejuni NCTC 11168 cells. The detection limit was determined to be approximately 103 CFU/mL in the buffer and 102 CFU/mL in the ex vivo samples. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Typhimurium-291RH and Listeria monocytogenes Scott A were used as nontarget bacterial cells to assess the specificity of the developed biosensor. Results showed that the developed biosensor was highly specific toward the target C. jejuni NCTC 11168, as no signal was observed for the nontarget bacterial cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensors for Food Safety)
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Review

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35 pages, 4382 KiB  
Review
Graphene–Bacteriophage Hybrid Nanomaterials for Specific and Rapid Electrochemical Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria
by José M. Campiña, António F. Silva and Carlos M. Pereira
Biosensors 2025, 15(7), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15070467 (registering DOI) - 19 Jul 2025
Abstract
Efficient and rapid detection of bacterial pathogens is crucial for food safety and effective disease control. While conventional methods such as PCR and ELISA are accurate, they are time-consuming, costly, and often require specialized infrastructure. Recently, electrochemical biosensors integrating graphene nanomaterials with bacteriophages—termed [...] Read more.
Efficient and rapid detection of bacterial pathogens is crucial for food safety and effective disease control. While conventional methods such as PCR and ELISA are accurate, they are time-consuming, costly, and often require specialized infrastructure. Recently, electrochemical biosensors integrating graphene nanomaterials with bacteriophages—termed graphages—have emerged as promising platforms for pathogen detection, offering fast, specific, and highly responsive detection. This review critically examines all electrochemical biosensors reported to date that utilize graphene–phage hybrids. Key aspects addressed include the types of graphene nanomaterials and bacteriophages used, immobilization strategies, electrochemical transduction mechanisms, and sensor metrics—such as detection limits, linear ranges, and ability to perform in real matrices. Particular attention is given to the role of phage orientation, surface functionalization, and the use of receptor binding proteins. Finally, current limitations and opportunities for future research are outlined, including prospects for genetic engineering and sensor miniaturization. This review serves as a comprehensive reference for researchers developing phage-based biosensors, especially those interested in integrating carbon nanomaterials for improved electroanalytical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensors for Food Safety)
31 pages, 1686 KiB  
Review
Strategic Detection of Escherichia coli in the Poultry Industry: Food Safety Challenges, One Health Approaches, and Advances in Biosensor Technologies
by Jacquline Risalvato, Alaa H. Sewid, Shigetoshi Eda, Richard W. Gerhold and Jie Jayne Wu
Biosensors 2025, 15(7), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15070419 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 633
Abstract
Escherichia coli (E. coli) remains a major concern in poultry production due to its ability to incite foodborne illness and public health crisis, zoonotic potential, and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. The contamination of poultry products with pathogenic E. coli [...] Read more.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) remains a major concern in poultry production due to its ability to incite foodborne illness and public health crisis, zoonotic potential, and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. The contamination of poultry products with pathogenic E. coli, including avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), presents risks at multiple stages of the poultry production cycle. The stages affected by E. coli range from, but are not limited to, the hatcheries to grow-out operations, slaughterhouses, and retail markets. While traditional detection methods such as culture-based assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are well-established for E. coli detection in the food supply chain, their time, cost, and high infrastructure demands limit their suitability for rapid and field-based surveillance—hindering the ability for effective cessation and handling of outbreaks. Biosensors have emerged as powerful diagnostic tools that offer rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective alternatives for E. coli detection across various stages of poultry development and processing where detection is needed. This review examines current biosensor technologies designed to detect bacterial biomarkers, toxins, antibiotic resistance genes, and host immune response indicators for E. coli. Emphasis is placed on field-deployable and point-of-care (POC) platforms capable of integrating into poultry production environments. In addition to enhancing early pathogen detection, biosensors support antimicrobial resistance monitoring, facilitate integration into Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems, and align with the One Health framework by improving both animal and public health outcomes. Their strategic implementation in slaughterhouse quality control and marketplace testing can significantly reduce contamination risk and strengthen traceability in the poultry value chain. As biosensor technology continues to evolve, its application in E. coli surveillance is poised to play a transformative role in sustainable poultry production and global food safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensors for Food Safety)
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