A ratiometric fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of benzoyl peroxide and hypochlorite in food.

Chronic exposure to oxidants such as benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and hypochlorite (ClO) poses significant health risks, driving the urgent need for sensitive detection methods. We developed a dual-emitting ratiometric fluorescence probe based on europium metal-organic frameworks encapsulated nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs@Eu-MOFs). This probe enables rapid detection within 1 min for BPO and 3 min for ClO, demonstrating broad linear ranges (0.1-6.0 μM) with ultralow detection limits (6.80 nM for BPO, 5.78 nM for ClO). N-CDs@Eu-MOFs successfully quantified both analytes in five real food matrices, showing recovery rates of 91.94-108.33 % for BPO and 91.25-107.22 % for ClO, confirming its reliability in real-world applications. Additionally, portable N-CDs@Eu-MOFs-embedded gel beads were fabricated that facilitate smartphone-based BPO quantification through RGB analysis, achieving recovery rates of 91.41-105.44 % in food samples. This instrument-free approach combines laboratory-grade accuracy with on-site practicality, significantly advancing food safety monitoring.