New copper metal-organic framework nanozymes enable intelligent food detection

Recently, a team led by Prof. HUANG Qing from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully used the gas-liquid interface dielectric barrier (DBD) low-temperature plasma (LTP) technology to prepare a series of Cu metal organic framework (MOF) nanozymes. 

“These nanozymes have different base ligands and mimic the activity of laccase,” said Prof. HUANG. The team also developed encoded array sensors for intelligent sensing and identification of bioactive components in food. 

The relevant research results were published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

Nanozymes are valued for their high catalytic activity, high stability and high adaptability, and have also become a new sensitive material for building sensors in the field of detection. How to design and prepare efficient nanozymes and how to promote their application in food detection are still important issues that have attracted much attention from researchers.

In this study, the team successfully prepared different types of Cu-MOF nanozymes with laccase-like activity. These nanozymes exhibited varying responses to five common bioactive substances found in food. Consequently, the researchers constructed nanozyme-encoded array sensors capable of high-throughput, sensitive, and rapid identification and quantitative analysis of substances in the concentration range of 1.5–150 μg/mL. Additionally, the degree of color change induced by the nanozymes can be easily observed using a smartphone, enabling portable and intelligent rapid food detection.

This study not only provides a new way to prepare efficient nanozymes, but also provides an intelligent and convenient method for food inspection.