Research Advances in Modern Immunoassay Technologies and Novel Alternative Biotechnologies for Rapid Detection of Foodborne Pathogens and Chemical Contaminants.

The development and application of novel rapid detection technologies are critical for advancing food safety regulation. In recent years, immunology-based methods have played a pivotal role in food safety supervision due to their speed, operational simplicity, and cost-effectiveness. However, conventional colloidal gold techniques exhibit limited sensitivity for trace analytes (e.g., early-stage microbial contamination) and are primarily qualitative, thus failing to meet the quantitative detection requirements for pesticides, veterinary drugs, and food additives, which restricts their practical applicability. Additionally, the difficulty and high cost of obtaining high-quality monoclonal antibodies increase the technical barriers and commercialization costs of immunochromatographic assays. Consequently, modern immunological techniques and novel alternative biotechnologies have emerged as focal points in rapid detection research. This review examines the principles and technical characteristics of advanced immunological methods, including immunofluorescence quantitative chromatography (IF-QCT) and flow cytometry-based immunophenotyping (FCI), as well as emerging antibody-alternative technologies such as aptamers, CRISPR/Cas systems, and phage-based technologies. This review further summarizes the latest research advances of the above-mentioned technologies in the rapid detection of food safety risk factors, including pathogenic microorganisms, biotoxins, residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs, heavy metals, and other chemical contaminants. It critically analyzes their technical advantages and practical limitations, and discusses potential future directions. This review aims to provide insights and a theoretical basis for developing and applying technologies to rapidly detect food safety hazards.