A team of Spanish researchers has taken a major step toward preventing foodborne illnesses. Scientists at the Arag\u00f3n Institute of Nanoscience and Materials (INMA)\u00a0a collaboration between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Zaragoza, have developed a portable biosensor that can detect dangerous bacteria in food in just about an hour.<\/p>\n
The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society<\/em>, focuses on Salmonella and Listeria \u2014 pathogens responsible for thousands of infections worldwide each year. Unlike traditional lab tests, which can take several days, this new technology delivers rapid results and could dramatically reduce the risk of contaminated food reaching consumers.<\/p>\n The breakthrough relies on liquid crystals, materials commonly found in smartphone and TV displays. But instead of producing images, these crystals are being used to sense bacteria. The crystals react to microscopic changes when they come into contact with pathogens, altering their internal structure in a way that can be measured with fluorescence.<\/p>\n We can now see the presence of harmful bacteria almost instantly, without relying on large laboratories or specialized microscopes,\u201d said a lead researcher from INMA. Small droplets of liquid crystals are engineered to recognize specific bacteria, lighting up when they detect a threat. The change is easy to read using portable spectrophotometers, making the system highly practical for real-world food monitoring.<\/p>\n The sensor\u2019s precision is impressive. It can detect bacteria even when only a few cells are present in a sample. And it works reliably under various conditions, making it suitable for food processing plants, distribution centers, or even small-scale producers.<\/p>\n \u201cThis technology could be a game-changer for the food industry,\u201d explained a food safety expert. \u201cRapid detection of Salmonella or Listeria means that contaminated products can be caught before they reach the market, potentially preventing outbreaks.\u201d<\/p>\n The INMA team emphasizes that the system is highly adaptable. By modifying the molecular recognition components, the sensor could be used to detect other harmful bacteria or pathogens of public health concern.<\/p>\n With foodborne illnesses continuing to pose major health risks globally, innovations like this offer a practical, fast, and reliable solution. The hope is that, in the near future, inspectors and plant managers won\u2019t have to wait days for lab results \u2014 they can identify problems on the spot and take immediate action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A team of Spanish researchers has taken a major step toward preventing foodborne illnesses. Scientists at the Arag\u00f3n Institute of Nanoscience and Materials (INMA)\u00a0a collaboration between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Zaragoza, have developed a portable biosensor that can detect dangerous bacteria in food in just about an hour. The …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s03.s3c.es\/imag\/_v0\/2256x1231\/0\/9\/d\/770x_investigadoresinma.JPG","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[701,703,705,702,700,704,699],"class_list":["post-486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-biosensor","tag-food-safety","tag-inma","tag-liquid-crystals","tag-listeria","tag-pathogen-detection","tag-salmonella"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=486"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":689,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486\/revisions\/689"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Liquid Crystals: From Screens to Food Safety<\/h4>\n
Speed, Accuracy, and Real-World Application<\/h4>\n
A Flexible Platform for Future Pathogens<\/h4>\n