Low-Temperature\nSubstrate: Detection of Viruses on\nCold Chain Food Packaging Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Viruses are mostly resistant to low temperatures and\ncan survive\nfor a long time and maintain their infectivity at temperatures below\n0 °C. Therefore, realizing virus detection at low temperatures\nis a great challenge. Subzero temperatures change the state of the\nwater-soluble substrate, increasing the difficulty of detection. In\nthis work, we designed a novel enhancement substrate to obtain SERS\nsignals of biomolecules stably at low temperatures. For the first\ntime, methanol solvent was introduced into the aqueous system of silver\nnanoparticles modified with iodide ions. The introduction of methanol\nsolvent not only serves as an anticoagulant to keep the system stable\nat low temperatures, but it can also improve nanoparticles and form\na “hot spot”, which is more suitable for virus detection.\nThis low-toxicity, rapid, and highly sensitive in situ detection technique\nlays the foundation for the development of SERS technology in the\nfield of food and life sciences.