SERS based point-of-care detection of food-borne pathogens

The authors have developed a microfluidic platform for improved detection of pathogenic bacteria by using silver nanoparticles and new platforms for chemometric data analysis, viz. a combination of principle component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. The method can distinguish eight key foodborne pathogens ( E. coli , S. typhimirium , S. enteritis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , L. monocytogenes , L. innocua , MRSA 35 and MRSA 86 ) and, hence, holds good promise for use in the food industry. Graphical Abstract A microfluidic and surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate integrated biosensing platform involving silver nanoparticles is demonstrated for rapid and on-site detection and discrimination of polymicrobial food-borne pathogenic bacteria.