Trace detection of acetamiprid carbendazim and melamine in food using a paper-based TiO2@AgNPs SERS substrate

Ensuring food safety remains critical due to the widespread use of pesticides and illicit additives in food production. This study presents a novel paper-based Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) substrate, synthesized using peroxide-modified titania (TiO2) combined with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), for the detection of harmful substances in food. The TiO2@AgNPs substrate exploits it-it stacking interactions and the localized surface plasmon resonance effect to enhance Raman signals, enabling highly sensitive trace detection. This platform successfully quantified acetamiprid (ACE) in green tea, carbendazim (CBZ) in apple juice, and melamine in milk, achieving limit of detection (LOD) of 8.63 x 10-5, 2.55 x 10-5, and 6.76 x 10-5 mu g/mL, respectively. The recovery for all substances ranged from 82.37 % to 97.66 %, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 6.64 %, and the analysis and validation results demonstrate that this method exhibits good stability. confirming the method's precision and reliability. Compared to conventional approaches, this substrate demonstrates superior sensitivity, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness, making it a promising tool for rapid and onsite detection of food contaminants, thereby advancing food safety standards.