Review Article Emerging nanoplatforms using molecular imprinted nanozymes for the detection of food hazards: Towards the future techniques of food safety assurance Chou-Yi Hsu a,* , Paul Rodrigues b , Ghadah Ali Hussein c , M.P. Sunil d , Ankita Aggarwal e , Panasa Ravi Kumar f , Pushkar Jassal g , Mohammed Jawad Alnajar h , Ahmed Remthan Hussein i , Hayder Ridha-Salman j a Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University, Tempe Campus, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA b Department of Computer Engineering, College of Computer Science, King Khalid University, Al-Faraa, Saudi Arabia c College of Medical and Health Technologies, Al-Zahraa University for Women, Karbala, Iraq d Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India e Department of ECE, Chandigarh Engineering College, Chandigarh Group of Colleges-Jhanjeri, Mohali 140307 Punjab, India f Department of EEE, Raghu Engineering College, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 531162, India g Centre for Research Impact & Outcome, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Rajpura 140401 Punjab, India h Department of Pharmacy, Al-Nisour University College, Iraq i Mazaya University College, Dhiqar, Iraq j College of Pharmacy, Al-Mustaqbal University, 51001 Babylon, Iraq A R T I C L E INFO Keywords: Molecular imprinting technology Nanozymes Enhancement mechanism Biosensor Food safety ABSTRACT Food safety hazards pose a serious menace to public safety and human health. The progress of rapid, sensitive, and selective analysis technologies for food hazards is, hence, of paramount significance. As a class of artificial mimetic enzymes, nanozymes are extensively recognized for their lower cost, high tunability, and superior stability compared to natural bioenzymes; however, their lack of catalytic specificity limits their broader application. In address the issue, various potential approaches are examined, among which molecular imprinting attracting significant interest due to its remarkable ability to create specific binding cavities that serve as bio- mimetic receptors. Fascinatingly, introducing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) onto nanozyme surfaces can significantly enhance the latter’s catalytic activity. Accordingly, in recent years, MIPs featuring universal construction, good stability, and low cost are intensively incorporated with nanozymes for food safety detection. In this comprehensive review, we first provide an overview of the fundamental design of nanozyme@MIPs, followed by clarifying the potential effects of molecular imprinting on the catalytic efficacy of nanozymes, particularly concerning their activity and selectivity. Furthermore, their latest advancements in the application of nanozyme@MIPs for recognizing food hazards are discussed in depth, as these innovations enhance both reaction efficiency and selectivity, thereby facilitating the accurate quantification and identification of specific food contaminants. In addition, the development challenges and prospects in this field were also put forward. 1. Introduction With the rapid development in living standards, public’s needs for food safety and nutrition are growing. Nevertheless, owing to issues related to the inadequate legal frameworks, a lack of awareness regarding the responsibilities of relevant enterprises, and the origins food production, food safety concerns continue to arise [1,2]. Food hazards primarily derive from heavy metal contamination, improper use of food additives, pesticide residues, drug abuse in livestock, and pollution throughout food transportation, production, and storage. Ingestion of foodstuff with safety risks can cause serious results like chronic diseases, poisoning, developmental defects, neurotoxicity, decreased immune function, and even life-threatening situations. So far, numerous analytical techniques (e.g., immunoassays, * Corresponding author. E-mail address: t545316@gmail.com (C.-Y. Hsu). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Microchemical Journal journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/microc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2025.113986 Received 18 April 2025; Received in revised form 7 May 2025; Accepted 14 May 2025 Microchemical Journal 214 (2025) 113986 Available online 15 May 2025 0026-265X/© 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.