Electrochemical Sensing of Flavonoids in Natural and Food Systems
Summary
Flavonoids are a broad class of plant‐derived polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Their quantification in foods, beverages and biological extracts is essential for quality control, nutritional profiling and health research. Electrochemical sensing has emerged as a versatile approach, offering high sensitivity, rapid response and minimal sample preparation. By exploiting the redox activity of flavonoid molecules at modified electrode surfaces, these sensors can detect target compounds at nanomolar to micromolar concentrations. Advances in electrode materials—such as carbon nanostructures, metal–organic frameworks and conductive polymers—have further enhanced selectivity, lowered detection limits and enabled real‐time monitoring in complex matrices. Integration of portable potentiostats and microfabricated electrodes promises on-site analysis in agricultural, clinical and industrial settings, supporting sustainable production and food safety initiatives worldwide.
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Electrochemical Sensing of Flavonoids in Natural and Food Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrochemical sensing of flavonoids in natural and food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Electrochemical sensor: Device converting chemical information into an electrical signal through redox reactions at an electrode interface.
Metal–organic framework (MOF): Porous crystalline network of metal nodes and organic linkers used to increase electrode surface area and selective adsorption.
Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV): Electroanalytical technique applying voltage pulses to measure current response for trace analyte detection.
Limit of detection (LOD): Lowest concentration of a substance that can be distinguished reliably from zero within a specified confidence level.
Nanocomposite: Material combining nanoscale constituents—such as carbon nanotubes or graphene—with polymers or metals to enhance electrocatalytic performance.
References
- Ultrasensitive Determination of Natural Flavonoid Rutin Using an Electrochemical Sensor Based on Metal-Organic Framework CAU−1/Acidified Carbon Nanotubes Composites. Molecules (2022).
- Signal-Enhanced Electrochemical Determination of Quercetin with Poly(chromotrope fb)-Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode in Vegetables and Fruits. ACS Omega (2023).
- Ultrasensitive Luteolin Electrochemical Sensor Based on Novel Lamellar CuZn@ Nitrogen-Containing Carbon Nanosheets. Nanomaterials (2022).
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