Recent Advances in Rapid Detection Techniques for Mycotoxins in Cereals

Mycotoxin contamination in cereal grains is regarded as a critical global challenge, jeopardizing food security and public health through chronic exposure and acute toxicity. Rapid detection methodologies are emerged as indispensable tools for preemptive risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. This review critically evaluates the current landscape, operational merits, and limitations of cutting-edge mycotoxin detection technologies. Immunoassays, characterized by procedural simplicity and high-throughput potential, are frequently hampered by matrix interference and cross-reactivity artifacts. Biosensors, augmented by nanomaterial integration for signal amplification, exhibit enhanced sensitivity but are faced with scalability constraints due to prohibitive aptamer synthesis costs and limited environmental stability. Spectroscopic detection techniques enable non-destructive, real-time analysis, yet their widespread adoption is restricted by capital-intensive instrumentation and computationally demanding multivariate data interpretation. In the future, the integration of multiple technologies and material innovation should be prioritized to address the performance limitations, including insufficient anti-interference capabilities in complex matrices and low efficiency in simultaneous multi-toxin detection. Furthermore, developing portable detection devices would provide reliable and efficient technical support for food safety regulation.