Harnessing molecularly imprinted polymers for multiplex detection of emerging contaminants in foods: advances and future perspectives

Emerging contaminants pose novel food safety challenges, necessitating highly selective and sensitive detection methods. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been employed extensively in food safety assays due to their predetermined architecture, specific recognition capabilities, practicality, and stability. This review systematically evaluates the structural and performance advantages of MIP-based sensors in targeting foodborne pollutants, emphasizing their role in enhancing analytical selectivity and sensitivity. The article further highlights recent breakthroughs in MIP applications across four critical EC categories: persistent organic pollutants, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceutical and personal-care products, and antibiotic residues. Finally, the current challenges impeding rapid development are identified and future prospects are outlined. Furthermore, the multifaceted technical, economic, and regulatory obstacles to transitioning MIP-based technologies from laboratory prototypes to practical monitoring tools are explored. This systematic review advances the establishment of innovative MIPs-driven emerging contaminants monitoring systems, thereby strengthening food safety protocols and public health safeguards.