Rapid and sensitive detection of tetracycline residue in food samples using Cr(III)-MOF fluorescent sensor

•A Cr(III)-MOF fluorescent sensor was developed to detect of tetracycline antibiotic.•The FL-based sensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity toward tetracycline.•The FL-based sensor detected tetracycline with a low detection limit = 0.78 ng/mL.•The FL-based sensor successfully applied to analysis of tetracycline in food samples. As tetracycline antibiotics were used in the poultry sector, their residue in edible animal products may adversely affect food safety and human health. The development of selective and sensitive tetracycline sensors has garnered a lot of interest due to the complexity of food samples. Therefore, a fluorescent sensing probe based on chromium(III)-metal–organic framework was developed for the rapid detection of tetracycline. After the addition of tetracycline, blue emission at λem 410 nm was effectively quenched by the interaction between TC and Cr(III)-metal–organic framework material. Under optimized conditions (sensor concentration: 30 mg/L and pH: 10.0), the sensing probe showed a fast response time (1 min), and low detection limit (0.78 ng/mL) with a linear range (5–45 ng/mL). Interestingly, the Cr(III)-metal–organic framework was successfully applied to quantity tetracycline residue in chicken meat and egg samples with recoveries of 95.17–06.93%. To deduce, our work can provide a new strategy for the direct detection of tetracycline in food samples.