Nanotechnology and New Detection Technologies: Revolutionizing Food Quality and Safety

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Analytical Methods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2026 | Viewed by 275

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Interests: food safety assay; food quality and safety; biosensors; portable detection devices; sample pretreatment technologies
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global food supply chain is encountering growing biological and chemical risks, prompting the need for collaborative innovation in nanotechnology and advanced analytical technologies to enhance food safety protection systems. Among them, the limits of conventional antibacterial and detection techniques have been overcome by the special interface effect and functional designability of nanomaterials in conjunction with extremely sensitive and portable enhanced detection techniques. On one hand, nanotechnology can increase the bioavailability and targeted permeability of hydrophobic natural antibacterial medicines. On the other hand, the sample pretreatment technology driven by functionalized nanomaterials achieves ultra-high efficiency and the synchronous enrichment, purification, and interference elimination of trace antibiotics, insecticides, and other pollutants in complex matrices, laying the foundation for rapid and accurate detection. Collaboration between the two promotes a shift in food safety risk prevention and control from passive disposal to proactive intervention throughout the process. This not only greatly enhances the timeliness and reliability of food quality assurance but also provides a key technological means for establishing a full-chain intelligent governance system from farm to dining table, improving the global food industry's sustainable development.

This Special Issue, entitled “Nanotechnology and New Detection Technologies: Revolutionizing Food Quality and Safety”, will collect high-quality research focusing on application of nanotechnology and new detection technologies for food quality and safety. We encourage the submission of original high-quality research papers and comprehensive reviews related to the applications of food quality and safety.

Prof. Dr. Xianlong Zhang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • food quality and safety
  • nanotechnology
  • biotechnology
  • food control
  • antibacterial agent
  • biomacromolecules
  • sample pretreatment
  • extraction
  • biosensors
  • nanosensors

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 4429 KB  
Article
Evaluating the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Citral Nano-Emulsion Against Vibrio parahaemolyticus
by Juanjuan Cao, Xiaoxu Zhang, Zihe Qi and Huan Liu
Foods 2025, 14(18), 3272; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183272 - 21 Sep 2025
Viewed by 146
Abstract
Citral is extensively utilized in the realm of food preservation owing to its excellent antibacterial activity. Nevertheless, being a common essential oil, citral’s hydrophobic characteristic considerably limits its potential use and marketability. In this study, we prepared hydrophobic citral into an oil-in-water nano-emulsion [...] Read more.
Citral is extensively utilized in the realm of food preservation owing to its excellent antibacterial activity. Nevertheless, being a common essential oil, citral’s hydrophobic characteristic considerably limits its potential use and marketability. In this study, we prepared hydrophobic citral into an oil-in-water nano-emulsion by high-pressure homogenization to address its solubility issues in water. The optical ratio of the citral nano-emulsion was established using a combination of response surface experiments. Subsequently, the citral nano-emulsion was employed to suppress Vibrio parahaemolyticus RIMD 2210633 (V. parahaemolyticus). The findings indicated that the citral nano-emulsion had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.125 mg/mL and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.25 mg/mL against V. parahaemolyticus, respectively. Furthermore, the nano-emulsion displayed excellent antibacterial properties, mainly by causing cell envelope damage, and also inhibited the production of virulence factors. Finally, citral nano-emulsion was applied to salmon preservation and efficiently controlled the propagation of V. parahaemolyticus in salmon. Our research has addressed the limitations associated with the application of citral and expanded the applications for its use in the food industry. Full article
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