Revolutionizing Food Safety with Innovative Technology
A team led by Chen-Kuei Chung, Professor at National Cheng Kung University, has developed a highly sensitive, economical, and reliable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) chip. This breakthrough technology reduces detection time to just 10 minutes, dramatically enhancing food safety testing efficiency while cutting costs to one-sixth of traditional methods.

Challenges of Traditional Food Safety Testing: Costly, Time-Consuming, and Complex

Food safety has long been a major societal concern. However, current testing methods are hindered by high costs, lengthy detection times, and complex procedures. For instance, mass spectrometry—a commonly used technique—requires 1 to 2 days per sample and involves prohibitively expensive equipment. For small- and medium-sized food enterprises, such costs are often unaffordable.

Nanotechnology Enhances SERS Chip Performance

To address the stability and reproducibility issues of traditional SERS chips, Professor Chung’s team developed an innovative SERS chip featuring a unique porous metallic nanofilm structure instead of conventional metal nanoparticles. This design significantly improves stability and uniformity.

When a laser beam is directed at a food sample, the molecules in the sample produce a characteristic Raman scattering spectrum. The chip’s porous structure generates strong localized surface plasmon resonance effects within the nanopores, amplifying the Raman scattering signals. This enables highly sensitive detection of trace harmful substances, such as preservatives, plasticizers, fungicides, melamine, clenbuterol, and pesticides.

Key Advantages of the New SERS Chip

• High Sensitivity: Detects trace substances with remarkable precision, including methylene blue (10⁻¹⁰ to 10⁻¹¹ M), melamine (0.05 ppm), bisphenol A (1 ppb), and benzoic acid (1 ppm)—all well below regulatory standards.
• High Stability: The chip’s structure resists oxidation and environmental changes, maintaining signal integrity for over six months.
• High Reproducibility: Simple manufacturing processes ensure batch production consistency, minimizing detection errors.
• Rapid Detection: Requires only 10 minutes for testing, significantly improving efficiency.
• Low Cost: Manufacturing costs are drastically reduced, with preparation time of just 15–30 minutes, lowering overall testing expenses.

Accelerating Industrial Application Through Academic-Industry Collaboration

Professor Chung revealed that the research has been published in multiple international journals and is protected by a comprehensive patent portfolio, including two Raman substrate invention patents and one food testing patent. Patent applications are also underway in the U.S. and Japan. Additionally, the team has signed agreements with food industry partners to advance the commercialization of this technology.

Looking ahead, the Raman spectroscopy chip is expected to have broad applications across food production, processing, and distribution. Not only will it mitigate food safety risks, but it will also drive the upgrade and transformation of the food industry.

Resource: 高靈敏拉曼光譜晶片 10分鐘揪出食安殺手！