Chemical sensors based on hybrid nanomaterials for food analysis

Abstract Hybrid nanostructured materials possess appealing features such as a high surface area/volume ratio and size- dependent optical and electrical properties, which are highly desirable for designing chemicals sensors with optimized properties. Reliable, cheap, and sensitive portable chemical sensors have been highly pursued for applications in food analysis and food safety, allowing monitoring of the chemical composition, taste and smell, and contamination by microorganisms including bacteria and fungus, among other applications. In this chapter we give an overview on distinct nanostructured materials and the molecular architectures employed as active layers for chemical sensors, including thin films of conjugated polymers, nanofibers, metallic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and enzymes. Such materials can drastically improve both sensitivity and limit of detection of sensors, including conventional potentiometric sensors, biosensors, electronic tongue and electronic nose sensors.