Progress and Challenges in the Application of Metal-Organic Framework-Based Electrochemical Sensors for Rapid Detection of Mycotoxins

In recent years, food safety issues have become a growing global concern. Mycotoxins, as secondary metabolites produced by molds, pose a serious threat to human and animal health. Traditional detection methods such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), although possessing high sensitivity and accuracy, are operationally complex, relatively costly, and unsuitable for rapid on-site testing. Electrochemical sensing methods, with their high sensitivity, ease of miniaturization, rapid analysis, and low cost, have emerged as reliable alternatives, demonstrating significant potential in food safety testing. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), owing to their unique porous structures, tunable surface properties, and excellent catalytic performance, have become ideal materials for constructing highly efficient electrochemical sensors. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in MOF-based electrochemical sensors for mycotoxin detection, focusing on their applications in detecting aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FBs), and patulin (PAT). This article explores the synthesis methods and surface functionalization for MOFs and their advantages in enhancing sensitivity, selectivity, and interference resistance. It also discusses the challenges (such as complex matrix interference and sensor stability) and future directions (the development of multifunctional sensors and compact, portable devices) in this field. This review aims to provide advanced research perspectives and technical references for the field of food safety detection.