Novel Ag-coated nanofibers prepared by electrospraying as a SERS platform for ultrasensitive and selective detection of nitrite in food

•An Ag-coated nanofiber SERS platform was prepared for rapid nitrite detection.•Electrospraying technique was firstly used to assemble SERS platform.•The Ag-coated nanofiber SERS platform has good homogeneity and reproducibility.•The EF and the LOD was 2.635 × 108, 2.216 × 10−12 M, respectively.•The SERS platform shows good compatibility in nitrite detection for real samples. Nitrite is commonly used as a preservative and color fixative in the meat industry. However, the risk of it transforming into N-nitrosamine restricts its intake. Herein, a novel sensitive Ag-coated nanofiber surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform was developed for rapid nitrite detection. The electrospraying technique was firstly used to assemble Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the nanofibers to obtaine SERS platform. The homogeneity and long-term stability of the SERS platform were evaluated. The limit of detection (LOD) of the SERS platform was estimated to be 2.216 × 10−12 mol/L, corresponding to 15.29 ng·L−1 and good linearity was shown between the relative SERS intensity and nitrite concentration range of 10–1 to 10−4 mol/L. The Ag-coated nanofiber SERS platform was utilized to assay-five common nitrite foods, and the results provided valid evidence for the compatibility of SERS platform in quantitative nitrite detection.