The protein sources for Chinese people are meat, eggs, milk, soy products, etc., of which the most important are meat and meat products. As a high-protein food, meat is susceptible to microbial spoilage and quality deterioration caused by endogenous enzymes during production, processing, storage and distribution. In addition, the problems of antibiotic and hormone abuse, heavy metal contamination and meat adulteration occur from time to time, which not only harm the vital interests of consumers, but also greatly threaten the personal safety of the public, disrupting the market order and reducing public confidence in food safety. At present, the traditional meat detection techniques are cumbersome and require time-consuming sample pretreatment, so they are unable to achieve fast, cheap and accurate large-scale screening of meat products. In recent years, the development of emerging technologies, especially microfluidics, can well solve the drawbacks of the traditional meat testing methods. This paper analyzes and discusses the concept, history and future of microfluidics and the innovative application of microfluidic devices in meat quality and safety detection, with a view to providing new insights into the development of a new generation of meat testing technology.

Milk osteopontin, a multifunctional phosphorylated glycoprotein derived from milk, plays significant roles in immune regulation, as well as promoting brain development and cognitive function, intestinal health and bone health, and it is recognized as a novel ingredient for infant formula and related food products. With the aim of providing a reference for the development and utilization of milk osteopontin, this article systematically elaborates on recent advancements in its structural characteristics, digestion, absorption and nutritional functions, and discusses its future application prospects and research directions as a novel food ingredient.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) poisoning caused by consumption of puffer fish is one of the major causes of death related to food poisoning in coastal areas of China. Tetrodotoxin poisoning occurs rapidly, and there are no specific antidotes at present. Therefore, detecting the content of TTX or identifying the species of puffer fish as a source of TTX is useful for better analysis, management and control of the risk of TTX poisoning. In this article, the detection techniques of TTX and the methods for species identification of tetrodotoxic fish are reviewed, which could be of great significance for preventing puffer fish poisoning and rational utilization of puffer fish resources, and future prospects are discussed. We hope that this review will help early warn and reduce food poisoning caused by puffer fish and promptly identify the cause after it happens.