Qu Cheng, Feng Xin, Li Sheng, Yin Yaguang, Su Mengke, Liu Honglin
School of Food Science and Engineering, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing, P. R. China.
Chongqing Academy of Chinese Materia Medica, Chongqing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, P. R. China.
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2025 Nov;24(6):e70298. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.70298.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has gained considerable attention for the analysis of foodborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to its non-destructive, rapid, and ultrasensitive detection capabilities. However, the intrinsic properties of most VOCs, such as high volatility, low polarity, and low Raman scattering cross-sections, result in poor affinity toward metallic nanostructures and consequently low signal intensity, which hampers their direct detection via SERS. To overcome these challenges, various strategies have been developed to enhance the adsorption efficiency and signal response of VOCs on SERS substrates, thereby enabling the sensitive detection of Raman-inactive molecules. This critical review offers a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in SERS techniques for the detection of foodborne VOCs. A range of popular strategies and their underlying principles to improve the VOC sensing capability of SERS platforms are discussed, including acquisition of SERS signal, enhancement of adsorption efficiency, and improvement of detection efficiency. Furthermore, the review critically examines the primary applications of SERS in the capture and sensing of various foodborne VOCs. Finally, the challenges and future prospects for the further development of SERS-based foodborne VOC analysis are outlined and summarized. The integration of SERS with a variety of strategies is expected to play a pivotal role in the evaluation of food quality and safety, driving the advancement of intelligent spectroscopic monitoring technologies in the future.
表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）因其具有无损、快速和超灵敏的检测能力，在食源挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）分析方面受到了广泛关注。然而，大多数VOCs的固有特性，如高挥发性、低极性和低拉曼散射截面，导致其对金属纳米结构的亲和力较差，从而信号强度较低，这阻碍了通过SERS对它们进行直接检测。为了克服这些挑战，人们开发了各种策略来提高VOCs在SERS基底上的吸附效率和信号响应，从而实现对拉曼非活性分子的灵敏检测。这篇综述全面概述了用于检测食源VOCs的SERS技术的最新进展。讨论了一系列提高SERS平台VOC传感能力的常用策略及其基本原理，包括获取SERS信号、提高吸附效率和提升检测效率。此外，该综述还严格审视了SERS在捕获和传感各种食源VOCs方面的主要应用。最后，概述并总结了基于SERS的食源VOC分析进一步发展面临的挑战和未来前景。预计SERS与各种策略的整合将在食品质量和安全评估中发挥关键作用，推动未来智能光谱监测技术的进步。
