Recent progress on graphene quantum dots‐based fluorescence sensors for food safety and quality assessment applications

Abstract The versatile photophysicalproperties, high surface‐to‐volume ratio, superior photostability, higher biocompatibility, and availability of active sites make graphene quantum dots (GQDs) an ideal candidate for applications in sensing, bioimaging, photocatalysis, energy storage, and flexible electronics. GQDs‐based sensors involve luminescence sensors, electrochemical sensors, optical biosensors, electrochemical biosensors, and photoelectrochemical biosensors. Although plenty of sensing strategies have been developed using GQDs for biosensing and environmental applications, the use of GQDs‐based fluorescence techniques remains unexplored or underutilized in the field of food science and technology. To the best of our knowledge, comprehensive review of the GQDs‐based fluorescence sensing applications concerning food quality analysis has not yet been done. This review article focuses on the recent progress on the synthesis strategies, electronic properties, and fluorescence mechanisms of GQDs. The various GQDs‐based fluorescence detection strategies involving Förster resonance energy transfer‐ or inner filter effect‐driven fluorescence turn‐on and turn‐off response mechanisms toward trace‐level detection of toxic metal ions, toxic adulterants, and banned chemical substances in foodstuffs are summarized. The challenges associated with the pretreatment steps of complex food matrices and prospects and challenges associated with the GQDs‐based fluorescent probes are discussed. This review could serve as a precedent for further advancement in interdisciplinary research involving the development of versatile GQDs‐based fluorescent probes toward food science and technology applications.