Volume 9, Issue 4, April – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24APR684

Advancing Food Industry with

Quantum Dot Technology
Sunanda Mondal1* Vimal Pant2
M. Tech Scholar, Food Plant Operations Management, Head Of Department of Food Business Management and
National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship Development, National Institute of Food
Entrepreneurship and Management, Technology Entrepreneurship and Management,
Sonipat, India Sonipat, India

Sayantani Mondal3
PhD Scholar, Dairy Technology Division,
National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal

Corresponding Author: Sunanda Mondal1*

Abstract:- Since people consume different varieties of I. INTRODUCTION

food, they are more conscious of their health nowadays.
Food analysis, which is a major element, helps to Among people, awareness to concentrate on health has
monitor the food quality for risk assessment regarding been increasing in recent years owing to their superior
public health. As Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) are the development in living standards. In general, the basic need
least toxic, they are in great demand. They help to in life is food. One of the basic human rights is food safety,
optimize food packaging, detect as well as monitor and supplying it helps to optimize human health, which
foodborne pathogens, and assess food quality utilizing enhances the length and quality of people’s lives [1]. But,
imaging and sensing. Owing to their nontoxicity and eco- the most challenging things among food safety problems are
friendliness, CQDs stand unique although there are antibiotics (contaminants) and pesticides (contaminants) [2].
different kinds of Quantum Dots (QDs). To enhance food Nanotechnology plays a significant role in increasing food
safety, quality assessment, and packaging, CQDs also security and safety although various conventional techniques
deliver exciting possibilities. CQD applications can have exhibited accurate outcomes for food detection. Some
detect insecticide residues, antibiotics, nutrients, heavy of the energy-efficient nanomaterials, which are developed
metals, pathogens, and food additives. Furthermore, to note down the variation in the quality of packaged foods,
CQDs find use in food packaging materials in which are carbon-based materials and metallic nanoparticles. But,
their Ultraviolet (UV) barrier, antimicrobial, and distinct fluorescent nanomaterials like QDs, which are made
antioxidant properties increase product shelf life and of inorganic material or heavy metal, are semiconductor
decrease food waste. Hence, explaining CQDs’ industrial nano-sized particles. In the food sector, CQDs have an
applications in the food sector is the study’s objective. In exceptional place among various types of QDs owing to
this paper, CQDs' role in food processing and its their distinct properties and applications [3]. CQDs are
industrial applications in food sectors, including food quasi-spherical particles that are less than 10 nm in size with
detection and packaging are explored. significant physicochemical features, such as high
photostability, low toxicity, chemical inertness, inexpensive,
Keywords: Quantum Dots, Carbon Quantum Dots, Food and biocompatibility [4]. CQDs possess various
Sector, Heavy Metals, Pathogens And Contaminants. applications, namely food packaging and food detection in
the food industry [5]. Different types of sources used in the
carbon dots fabrication for active food packaging
applications are explained in Figure 1.

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Volume 9, Issue 4, April – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24APR684

Fig 1: Different Sources Utilized for the Fabrication of CQDs for Active Food Packaging Applications

In the food industry, CQDs have important internal  What are the related studies of CQDs in food detection?
applications, particularly in the scope of food packaging,
food safety, and food detection. To increase product shelf III. LITERATURE REVIEW ON INDUSTRIAL
life as well as safety, CQDs are merged into the respective APPLICATION OF CARBON QUANTUM
materials in the food packaging area. CQDs can identify DOTS IN THE FOOD SECTOR
heavy metals [6] and pathogens [7] and help to monitor
antibiotic residues in the food detection area. Moreover, For diagnosis of residual toxicants in agricultural,
CQDs have different properties that make them more fit for environmental, and food samples, CQDs are found to be fit
food safety. since they examined their normal operation, higher
sensitivity, large surface area, and nanoscale size.
After the introduction (“Section 1”), the paper’s
structure is arranged as: “Section 2” presents the research Thus, this review paper is created to contribute to the
questions to make the review more clear. The literature CQDs' role in food processing as well as CQDs’ industrial
survey for CQDs’ industrial application in the food sector is applications in the food sector, including food packaging
explained in “Section 3”. “Section 4” describes the and food detection.
summary of the study to know the outcomes attained via the
study. Lastly, “Section 5” ends the survey with suggestions A. CQDS’ Role in the Food Processing
and future recommendations. Similar to the ‘farm-to-table’ strategy, CQDs should
monitor as well as take care of food production quality at all
II. RESEARCH QUESTIONS stages [8]. Moreover, CQDs are generally named carbon
nanodots. They are more efficient in guaranteeing food
In a systematic review, a Research Question (RQ) is safety. In addition, CQDs can identify insecticide residues,
essential. Before entering into the research, designing a heavy metals, pathogens, and food additives [9].
well-structured research question is important. To make the
review paper more creative, the following questions must be Fatemeh, et al. [10] described the Fluorescent turn-on
answered. sensing of Caffeine in food samples based on Sulfur-doped
CQDs (S-CQDs) through the Response Surface
 What is the role of CQDs in food processing? Methodology. S-CQDs were integrated using the
 What are CQDs’ industrial applications in the food microwave-assisted treatment. The outcomes indicated that
sector? with caffeine’s enhancing concentrations from 0.2 μM to 70
 What is CQDs’ importance in the food packaging μM, the model’s fluorescence intensity enhanced.
application?

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Volume 9, Issue 4, April – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24APR684

Achilleas, et al. [11] analyzed the N/S-CQDs’ growth the growth of edible coatings along with packages, CQDs
as well as characterization by validating Greek Crayfish were used together with their use in the pharmaceutical and
Food Waste. Instrumental and chemical techniques were healthcare applications and the food industry.
utilized to characterize the final product. As per the analysis,
Nitrogen co-doped CQDs (N/S-CQDs) provided superior Zifan, et al. [14] explained the Nitrogen-doped CQDs
outcomes since the coated strawberries sustained their color (N-CQDs) with the synthesis by utilizing the solvothermal
as well as weight for 3 successive days. approach. N-CQDs were used to detect the trace of Ag+ in
food packaging material. Analysis indicated that Ag+ was
Jungbin, et al. [12] explained the food waste-driven N- robustly and correctly detected by N-CQDs, which were
doped carbon dots with cell imaging as well as Fe3+ sensing found to be a promising tool for the detection of Ag+ traces
applications. For analyzing CQDs’ chemical transition, food in food packaging materials.
waste-driven cat feedstocks were used. Outcomes indicated
that similar to the waste model having 28% quantum yield, Yuqing, et al. [15] established the edible antibacterial
food waste-driven CQDs had the same chemical as well as film preparation based on Corn Starch /Carbon Nanodots
fluorescent properties. (CS-CNDs) for bioactive food packaging. Analyzing the
CS’s antimicrobial, antioxidant, and physical properties
B. Industrial Application of CQDS in Food Sector regarding CQDs is the objective. The outcomes displayed
Enhancing food sustainability, quality, and safety is the that in developing accessible films for packaging food items,
purpose of investigating CQDs’ industrial applications in the adding low concentrations of CQDs with CS indicated
food sector. Some of the important CQD applications in the evident outcomes.
food sector are food packaging and food detection.
 Food Detection
 Food Packaging CQDs, which could be used to detect food ingredients
In food packaging, CQDs have the most significant and contaminants, are a type of photoluminescent
role as well as possess a wide range of potential nanomaterial [16]. Furthermore, CQDs could be utilized for
applications. For preserving the freshness and quality as detecting food additives, pathogens, heavy metals,
well as increasing the shelf-life of the food, CQDs help in Insecticide and antibiotic residues, as well as Nutritional
creating new biodegradable anti-oxidation, antibacterial, and components [17]. In the pathogens’ detection, carbon dots-
biocompatible films for food packaging. centric biosensors are chosen owing to their higher
sensitivity and selectivity in the food sector [18]. Detection
Melis, et al. [13] described the CQDs as Edible Food Limit (DL), Limit Of Quantification (LOQ), and Relative
Packaging Films and Coatings with antimicrobial as well as Standard Deviation (RSD) are the parameters used in the
UV-blocking properties. From the location of Sigma- findings. Table 1 illustrates some of the CQD research
Aldrich, the material named Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) as papers in food detection with its specimens, samples, and
well as urea were gathered. According to the findings, for outcomes.

Table 1: Studies of CQDs in Food Detection with Specimens, Samples and Outcomes
Author Specimen Aim Food Findings
Name Samples DL RSD
Chunhao, et Not mentioned To identify residues from leafy Leafy vegetables 0.00187 mg/kg 0.001 and
al. [19] vegetables using CQDs 0.027%
Xuetao, et Melamine Identifying melamine in milk on Milk 0.0036 μm (3.6 nM) LOQ
al. [20] the basis of gold doped CQDs 12 nM
Yuanyuan, Tetracycline To identify Tetracycline in Natural red beet 0.36 μm Not mentioned
et al. [21] foods on the basis
of CQDs
Ziting, et al. Tetracycline Identifying Tetracycline in foods Milk and pork 0.25 μm Not mentioned
[22] on the basis of Cerium-doped
CQDs
Wenting, et 4-nitrophenol To identify 4-nitrophenol in foods Fish 23.45 nmol⋅L1 RSD
al. [23] on the basis of Silane- Lower than 5%
functionalized CQDs

Guangxin, et al. [24] explained the Ratiometric Chunling, et al. [25] described CQDs established from
Fluorescence Immunoassay based on CQDs to diagnose chicken blood as peroxidase mimics for biothiols’
Malachite Green in Fish. Horseradish peroxidase was used colorimetric detection. The traditional colorimetric method
to transform o-phenylenediamine to 2, 3-diaminophenazine. was utilized for identifying biothiols using CQDs. The
As per the analysis, the detection limit was found to be outcomes displayed that 0.9, 0.6, and 0.4 μM were the Limit
0.097 µg·kg−1. Moreover, the RSDs were found to be less of Detection (LoD) of Homocysteine (HcySH), Glutathione
than 3%.

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Volume 9, Issue 4, April – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24APR684

(GSH), and CySH. Moreover, RSD was between 1.0% and CQDs regarding the food sector broadly. An important
4.3%. milestone is marked by the research, which establishes a
foundation to advance the food sector.
IV. SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
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ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24APR684

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