Background

For the point-of-care testing (POCT) of food and agricultural commodities to guarantee food safety and human health, the development of tiny and portable microfluidic detection devices is of extreme significance. Fluorescent microfluidics has witnessed the rapid development of accurate, and reliable food safety analysis owing to its superiority, involving fast, high-efficiency reaction efficiency, small, portable, operational, and economical.

Scope and approach

However, the development of fluorescent microfluidics has rarely been presented in a complete and in-depth manner, from materials to application. In order to address the aforementioned issues, we thoroughly summarize the basic materials of the fluorescent microfluidic chip in this review as well as the most recent advancements in their application in food safety control. This includes the materials used in the production of microfluidic chips, their fluorescence sensing mechanism, and their use for food contaminants. The challenges and potential uses of fluorescent microfluidic chips are aimed at promoting food safety and more quickly achieving the detection of food concerns.

Key findings and conclusion

The detection sensitivity of several pollutants in food substrate was improved by the combination of the microfluidic chip and the fluorescence sensing technique. Fluorescence-based microfluidic chips have great potential in biological cells, medical and food detection and so on. In particular, complex food and agricultural samples are highly specific, so they can be applied to continuously monitor a variety of food analytes to ensure sustainable food safety.