T-2 mycotoxin: From occurrence and toxicokinetics to recent advances in aptasensor-based detection strategies and future perspectives for enhanced food safety

• Published in: Trends in food science & technology 2025-02, Vol.156, p.104784, Article 104784
• Main Authors: Raza, Ali, Niazi, Sobia, Shoaib, Muhammad, Khan, Imran Mahmood, Haq, Faizan Ul, Ali, Khubaib, Khan, Ibrahim, Zhang, Yin, Wang, Zhouping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aptasensors; catalytic activity; chemiluminescence; colorimetry; cost effectiveness; Detection methods; electrochemistry; enzymes; fluorescence; Food safety; interdisciplinary research; monitoring; nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; oligonucleotides; pharmacokinetics; Public health; Raman spectroscopy; SELEX; signal transduction; T-2 mycotoxin; T-2 toxin
• ISSN: 0924-2244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2024.104784

Mycotoxins, particularly T-2, pose significant food safety risks, leading to agricultural losses and economic challenges. The growing prevalence of T-2, coupled with the lack of legal maximum limits in many countries, has weakened food safety surveillance and monitoring systems. This necessitates updated assessments of T-2 prevalence, regulatory frameworks, and advancements in detection methods. Aptasensors have emerged as a promising solution, offering cost-effective, rapid, and sensitive detection while addressing the limitations of traditional methods, thereby enhancing food safety monitoring. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of T-2 toxin prevalence, toxicokinetics, limitations of conventional detection methods, and recent advancements in aptasensors tailored for T-2 detection over the past five years. Detection principles and signal amplification strategies of various aptasensing methodologies—such as colorimetric, fluorescence, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), chemiluminescence, and electrochemical aptasensors—are systematically analyzed. Additionally, technical challenges, including aptamer stability, signal transduction, and matrix interference, are discussed. Future directions in aptamer modification, hybrid nanomaterial synthesis, and novel signal amplification and multiplexing techniques are highlighted. Aptasensing strategies such as colorimetric, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and electrochemical methods leverage distinct mechanisms like visual detection, light emission, enzyme catalysis, and electrical signal changes, offering superior sensitivity for trace-level T-2 detection compared to traditional methods. Innovations in sensor design, nanomaterial integration, and aptamer refinement enable aptasensors to provide portable, real-time T-2 monitoring, with potential to strengthen regulatory standards, promote interdisciplinary research, and advance biosensor technology. [Display omitted] •A comprehensive overview of T-2 mycotoxin's prevalence, food safety risks, economic impacts, and detection methods.•Advancements in T-2 aptasensing, including fluorescence, SERS, chemiluminescence, and electrochemical methods, are explored.•Key challenges in aptasensors, such as design, nanomaterials, aptamer selection, and validation, are examined.•Future trends and potential application of T-2 aptasensing to enhance public health and food safety surveillance.