Application of microfluidic device based on aptamer for the determination of food contamination; recent progress and challenges

Food safety is one of the most critical parameters for maintaining global human health. Microfluidic devices have advantages such as ease of use, speed, cost-effectiveness, and portability. Recently, their application in smartphone-based analyses has further enhanced their value as diagnostic tools A key factor in detecting various analytes using microfluidic devices is improving their sensitivity for more precise identification of target analytes in food matrices. Nucleic acid aptamers have garnered significant attention as bio-receptors and, in many cases, have replaced antibodies. Microfluidic devices integrated with aptamers exhibit promising properties for bioanalysis applications. This review explores the role of aptamer-based microfluidic devices in detecting food contamination and highlights advanced applications of aptamer-activated microfluidic devices in bioanalysis across diverse targets. Finally, the article addresses the major challenges faced by these micro-devices in bioanalysis and outlines future perspectives. It also identifies challenges and opportunities for researchers to explore further. 1. Different types of food contamination are discussed. 2. The application of microfluidics modified with aptamers in detecting food contamination has been investigated. 3. The advantages of aptamers have been compared with other bio-receptors (antibodies and enzymes).