Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for food quality and safety monitoring

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a nanostructure-based analytical technique that can render chemical and fingerprint information of food adulterants, contaminants, and pathogens. Due to its high sensitivity and simplicity, this vibrational spectroscopic technique has been widely used for food quality and food safety applications. In the first section of this chapter provides a basic understanding of Raman spectroscopy and SERS technique. Then, it introduces the different fabrication methods for plasmonic nanostructures (SERS substrates) and its importance in SERS measurements. The potential applications of SERS (i) detection of residual pesticides and insecticides, (ii) detection of chemical contaminants and pathogens, (iii) application of SERS in plant science, and (iv) nutritional quality analysis are discussed in detail. Finally, it also presents an outlook on the challenges and future directions of SERS as a powerful analytical tool in food analysis.