Xiaodong Guo

Food safety remains a global concern for public health, economic stability, and society well-being. Mycotoxins, one of the most prevalent and severe classes of contaminants, are toxic secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi. Generally, the main mycotoxins are divided into aflatoxins (AF), ochratoxins (OT), fumonisins (F), zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 toxin, thereby contaminating a wide spectrum of commodities like cereals, maize, peanuts, fruits, oil, milk, and processed foods. Of them, for instance, AFB1, OTA, FB1, ZEN are regulated as group 1, 2B, 3 carcinogens by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), respectively. Considering their serious risks to animal and human health, many countries and organizations including European Union, USA, China etc., have set the maximum residue levels (MRLs) down to ppt levels toward mycotoxins in certain commodities.analytical methods, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), represent for the gold standard against quantitative detection of mycotoxins. However, high cost, skilled personnel, and time-consuming procedures limit their application scenarios to laboratory. Fortunately, assisted by antibody development, antibody-based immunoassays like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunosensors have been well established for rapid and on-site food analysis. Nevertheless, several obstacles such as weak reproducibility, false-positive results and complicated protocols remain big challenge.Consequently, there is an urgent demand to exploit novel biosensing and chemosensing platforms that enable fast, sensitive, specific, cost-effective, and point-of-care (POC) testing of mycotoxins and even trace levels.Very excitingly, our research topic entitled "Advanced Biosensors and Chemosensors toward Mycotoxins Analysis for Food Safety" is timely and of high significance to food safety, conceiving to overcome the challenges by exploring cutting-edge sensing platform, elucidating the underlying mechanisms and design principles, and revealing their potential for commercialization. Upon the continuous efforts, accordingly, the collection attracts four contributions spanning original research and comprehensive review, advancing our knowledge of mycotoxin detection from molecular recognition to real-world monitoring (Figure 1).

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly toxic mycotoxin which can be carried over into animal products and cause deterioration of livestock productivity when fed to livestock and wildlife. This review proposes a biomarker-guided framework for improving the early assessment of AFB1 exposure and toxicological responses in animal models. Oral exposure leads to the absorption of AFB1, which is bioactivated in the liver to the reactive AFB1-exo-8,9-epoxide that causes DNA and protein adduct formation, inflammation, mitochondrial apoptosis, and other effects. Cytochrome P450 activation and glutathione-dependent detoxification are in balance in determining susceptibility species, and this balance is different for poultry, pigs, ruminants, and rodents. In addition to traditional liver enzymes and histopathology, we highlight mechanistically informative biomarkers such as metabolites of aflatoxin, DNA and albumin adduct, lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant indices, cytokines, apoptotic markers, as well as signals involved in the Nrf2/NFκB pathway. AFB1 also damages the integrity of the intestinal barrier, the maintenance of the intestinal gut microbiota, reproductive function, growth performance, and development, thus creating a gut–liver-systemic toxic cascade. Finally, an assessment of stage-targeted interventions such as aluminosilicate binders, adsorbents derived from yeast, probiotics and nano-enabled interventions is conducted as viable tools for the reduction in exposure and injury. This review offers targeted mitigation strategies for early diagnosis of aflatoxicosis in animal production systems based on a biomarker approach.

Sulforaphane (SFN), a bioactive compound sourced from cruciferous vegetables, offers significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits yet its stability in animal feed is a challenge. Nanotechnology-based encapsulation, specifically ionic gelation, has demonstrated efficacy in improving the stability and bioavailability of SFN. This review examines the application of natural polymers such as chitosan and alginate in ionic gelation for the encapsulation of SFN. It also discusses how these polymers can prevent SFN from degrading while traversing the digestive tract. Encapsulation strategies for SFN have been associated with improved bioavailability, with absorption reported in experimental modules, to modulate immune-related and oxidative-stress pathways. However, challenges persist in identifying optimal methods for encapsulating various species, including enhancing encapsulation effectiveness, particle size, and controlled release mechanisms. Additionally, regulatory concerns regarding the safety and environmental impacts of nanoparticles in feed must be addressed. Future research should focus on improving encapsulation techniques and ensuring the safe application of SFN-loaded nanocarriers in livestock feed.

Sulforaphane (SFN), a bioactive compound sourced from cruciferous vegetables, offers significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits yet, its stability in animal feed is a challenge. Nanotechnology-based encapsulation, specifically ionic gelation, has demonstrated efficacy in improving the stability and bioavailability of SFN. This review examines the application of natural polymers such as chitosan and alginate in ionic gelation for the encapsulation of SFN. It also discusses how these polymers can prevent SFN from degrading while traversing the digestive tract. Encapsulated SFN has shown enhanced nutritional absorption, elevated immune responses, and reduced oxidative stress in animals. However, challenges persist in identifying optimal methods for encapsulating various species, including enhancing encapsulation effectiveness, particle size, and controlled release mechanisms. Additionally, regulatory concerns regarding the safety and environmental impacts of nanoparticles in feed must be addressed. Future research should focus on improving encapsulation techniques and ensuring the safe application of SFN-loaded nanocarriers in livestock feed.

Cancer therapy is increasingly shaped by the need for agents that are both mechanistically precise and clinically tolerable. Sulforaphane (SFN), a dietary isothiocyanate enriched in cabbage-family vegetables such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, has emerged as a pleiotropic modulator of tumor biology. This review synthesizes current evidence that SFN regulates diverse cancer-relevant processes, including redox homeostasis, cell-cycle progression, apoptosis, autophagy and epigenetic remodeling, largely through coordinated effects on transcriptional (for example, Nrf2, MAPK, NF-κB and AP-1), post-transcriptional (microRNAs and messenger RNAs) and epigenetic (DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases) networks. We then examine how functional nucleic acids, including aptamers, small interfering RNAs, microRNAs and tetrahedral DNA nanostructures, can be engineered to guide SFN to tumor cells, amplify pathway-specific effects and overcome resistance. Particular emphasis is placed on nanotechnology-enabled delivery platforms that enhance SFN stability, bioavailability and tumor selectivity. Finally, we outline key challenges, such as context-dependent Nrf2 activity, inter-individual variability in metabolism and incomplete clinical validation, and propose priorities for translating SFN-based functional nucleic acid systems into rational, combination-ready strategies for precision oncology.

Zearalenone (ZEN), an estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, is a frequent contaminant in cereals and other agricultural commodities. Its presence poses substantial economic losses, threatens food safety, and presents significant risks to human health, making it a growing concern worldwide. Consequently, the development of rapid, sensitive, and reliable methods for ZEN detection is of critical importance. In recent years, aptasensors technologies have emerged as promising tools for mycotoxin monitoring. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in ZEN-specific aptasensors, with a focus on detection mechanisms, analytical performance, and comparative advantages and limitations of various platforms. By providing an up-to-date overview of optical, electrochemical, and other emerging sensing strategies, this work aims to support future developments in mycotoxin prevention and detection, thereby contributing to enhanced food safety assurance.

Animal diseases remain a major constraint to livestock productivity and public health, necessitating accurate, early diagnostic methods. This review examines the classification and mechanisms of diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in veterinary medicine and evaluates how advanced technologies enable their discovery. Mechanistically, biomarkers function as molecular indicators of disease presence, progression, or therapeutic response, and are essential in species where clinical signs often appear late or are non-specific. We detail the contribution of high-throughput omics platforms, genomics (NGS, RNA-Seq), proteomics (LC-MS/MS, DIGE), and metabolomics (NMR, LC-MS/MS) in identifying disease-specific molecular signatures. Emerging technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, AI-enhanced imaging, aptamer-based biosensors, and microfluidic devices, show significant diagnostic potential. Case studies, including canine melanoma, bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC), and congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs, illustrate the real-world applicability of biomarkers. Challenges such as a lack of standardization, species variability, and poor clinical translation are acknowledged. The review concludes that integrating biomarker mechanisms with advanced analytical technologies is key to advancing veterinary diagnostics and disease control.

The increasing incidence of food safety related to mycotoxin contamination highlights a significant global challenge. Traditional mycotoxin detection methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and chromatographic techniques (e.g., high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC), are often limited by prolonged analysis time, inadequate sensitivity, high costs, and operational complexity, which impede their practical application. In contrast, biosensor technology, possesses interdisciplinary advancements, has emerged as a key area of research due to its inherent advantages, including high sensitivity, rapid response, and cost-effectiveness. This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent technological advancements in the development of highly sensitive biosensors for mycotoxin detection. Furthermore, we propose that future developments should strategically incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), sustainable nanomaterials, and other innovative approaches to enhance biosensor performance significantly and expand their practical applicability in ensuring food safety.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) contamination has emerged as a global concern due to its high incidence, severe toxicity, and profound implications for food safety and human health. Consequently, there is an urgent demand for the development of novel analytical techniques that enable simple, rapid, and accurate detection of FB1. Conventional methods for mycotoxin analysis, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS), thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), often suffer from limitations including high cost, time-consuming procedures, environmental sensitivity, and reliance on specialized expertise. Nucleic acid aptamers, generated via Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX), have garnered significant attention as next-generation bioreceptors, demonstrating remarkable progress in food safety applications. Leveraging their high specificity and strong affinity for target molecules, aptamers have been successfully employed as alternatives to conventional methods for FB1 detection, leading to the development of diverse aptasensor platforms. This review systematically summarizes recent advancements (2013–2025) in optical and electrochemical aptasensors for FB1 detection, elucidating their working principles, merits, and limitations. It further evaluates the impact of material integration on sensor performance, identifies existing limitations in selected aptasensor configurations, and proposes corresponding optimization strategies. Finally, the current challenges hindering the practical implementation of aptasensors are critically analyzed, and future research directions are outlined to advance this promising field.