A fluorescence-electrochemical dual-mode aptasensor based on novel DNA-dependent PBNFs@PtPd for highly selective and sensitive detection of procymidone through hybridization chain reaction.

Herein, a study for the first application of a hybridization chain reaction, a 1,8-naphthalimides-DNA (NDs) intercalator, and DNA-dependent Prussian blue nanoflowers@PtPd materials (PBNFs@PtPd) in the development of a fluorescence-electrochemical (FL-EC) aptasensor. This construction establishes an efficient sensing platform for the detection of procymidone (PCM). In the context of the described experiment, dual-mode detection is achieved through the generation of FL signals by an aptamer labeled with a Cy5 moiety and the formation of DPV signals by the modification of a thionine-appended 1,8-naphthalimide (Thi-NDs). In the presence of PCM, specific recognition occurs, followed by the utilization of magnetic separation technology to release DNA1 (S1) and aptamer-Cy5 (Apt-Cy5), subsequently introducing them onto both fluorescence and EC platforms. The presence of S1 effectively activates hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for the electrode surface, thereby significantly increasing the binding sites for Thi-NDs and consequently greatly amplifying the response signal of differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The developed FL-EC dual-mode sensing platform demonstrates high sensitivity in the detection of PCM, with the detection limits of 0.173 µg·ml-1 (within the detection range of 500 pg·ml-1 to 500 ng·ml-1) and 0.074 ng·ml-1 (within the detection range of 100 pg·ml-1 to 100 ng·ml-1), respectively. The designed dual-mode sensor exhibits notable characteristics, including high selectivity, reproducibility, synergy, and reliable monitoring/capability for PCM in real samples.

"Two-in-One" PtPdCu Trimetallic Multifunctional Nanoparticles-Mediated Dual-Signal-Integrated Aptasensor for Ultradetection of Enrofloxacin.

Balancing the accuracy and simplicity of aptasensors is a challenge in their construction. This study addresses this issue by leveraging the remarkable loading capacity and peroxidase-like catalytic activity of PtPdCu trimetallic nanoparticles, which reduces the reliance on precious metals. A dual-signal readout aptasensor for enrofloxacin (ENR) detection is designed, incorporating DNA dynamic network cascade reactions to further amplify the output signal. Exploiting the strong loading capacity of PtPdCu nanoparticles, they are self-assembled with thionine (Thi) to form a signal label capable of generating signals in two independent modes. The label exhibits excellent enzyme-like catalytic activity and enhances electron transfer capabilities. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV) are employed to independently read signals from the oxidation-reduction reaction of Thi and the catalytic oxidation of hydroquinone (HQ) to benzoquinone (BQ) by H2O2. The introduced DNA dynamic network cascade reaction modularizes sample processing and electrode surface signal generation, avoiding electrode contamination and efficiently increasing the output of the catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA) cycle. Under optimized conditions, the developed aptasensor demonstrates detection limits of 0.112 (DPV mode) and 0.0203 pg/mL (SWV mode). Additionally, the sensor successfully detected enrofloxacin in real samples, expanding avenues for designing dual-mode signal amplification strategies.

Effects of sanxan on water and ice crystal status of salt free frozen cooked noodles during freeze-thaw cycles.

This study compared four biocolloids (sanxan, xanthan gum, curdlan, and guar gum) in different concentrations to replace NaCl in improving the recooking quality of salt free frozen cooked noodles (SF-FCNs). Sanxan outperformed NaCl and other biocolloids significantly improving the firmness (21.0%), chewiness (63.5%), and toughness (15.4%) of SF-FCNs after 10 freeze-thaw (FT) cycles. The results of the freezing-thawing curves showed SF-FCNs had prior FT stability when sanxan was added at 1.2%. Subsequently, the result of differential scanning calorimetry and nuclear magnetic resonance revealed sanxan reduced the content and mobility of freezable water while increasing the content of bound water. The scanning electron microscope, mercury intrusion, and optical microscopy analyses indicated that sanxan reduced the size and volume of ice crystals and the structural damage of SF-FCNs by controlling the water. The work contributes to a theoretical framework for enhancing SF-FCNs quality through precise water and ice crystal control.

Effect of sanxan on the composition and structure properties of gluten in salt-free frozen-cooked noodles during freeze-thaw cycles.

In this study, the mechanisms by which sanxan protected the quality of salt-free frozen-cooked noodles (SFFCNs) were investigated, with a focus on the composition and structural properties of gluten. The results showed that sanxan facilitated the formation of glutenin macropolymer and maintained the stabilization of glutenin subunits in freeze-thaw cycles (FTs). In terms of protein structure, sanxan weakened the disruption of secondary structure caused by FTs and increased the proportion of gauche-gauche-gauche (g-g-g) conformations in the disulfide (S-S) bonds bridge conformation. Simultaneously, sanxan reduced the exposure degree of tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) residues on the protein surface. Moreover, the intermolecular interaction forces indicated that sanxan inhibited S-S bonds breakage and enhanced the intermolecular crosslinking of gluten through ion interactions, which was crucial for improving the stability of gluten. This study provides a more comprehensive theoretical basis for the role of sanxan in improving the quality of SFFCNs.

Pt@AuNF nanozyme and horseradish peroxidase-based lateral flow immunoassay dual enzymes signal amplification strategy for sensitive detection of zearalenone.

Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) has been employed extensively for the rapid, accurate, and portable detection of foodborne toxins. Here, the platinum gold nanoflower core-shell (Pt@AuNF) nanozyme with excellent optical properties, good catalytic ability and controllable reaction conditions were prepared to effectively improve the performance of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) strips. The Pt@AuNF nanozyme and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) combined with monoclonal antibody were used as signal probes based on the dual enzymes catalytic signal amplification strategy to detect Zearalenone sensitively. Dual enzymes catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into hydroxyl radicals, and under the influence of hydroxyl radicals, colorless 3,3',5,5' -tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) is oxidized to blue ox-TMB, which is superimposed on the strips for signal amplification to broaden the detection range. The limit of detection (LOD) of the Pt@AuNF-HRP labeled LFIA strips after signal amplification was 0.052 ng/mL, and the detection range was 0.052-7.21 ng/mL. Compared with the Pt@AuNF labeled strips, while reducing the probes amount by half to achieve antibody conservation, the detection range was expanded by 5-fold based on achieving improved sensitivity. The study provided a meaningful reference for expanding the detection range based on immunoassay.

Mn2+-Triggered Swing-Arm Robot Strategy Using Anemone-Like Thi@AuPd@Cu-MOFs as Signaling Probes for the Detection of T-2 Toxin.

Herein, we synthesized anemone-like copper-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) loaded with gold-palladium nanoparticles (AuPd@Cu-MOFs) and polyethylenimine-reduced graphene oxide/gold-silver nanosheet composites (PEI-rGO/AuAg NSs) for the first time to construct the sensor and to detect T-2 toxin (T-2) using triple helix molecular switch (THMS) and signal amplification by swing-arm robot. The aptasensor used PEI-rGO/hexagonal AuAg NSs as the electrode modification materials and anemone-like AuPd@Cu-MOFs as the signal materials. The prepared PEI-rGO/hexagonal AuAg NSs had a large specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and good stability, which successfully improved the electrochemical performance of the sensors. The AuPd@Cu-MOFs with high porosity provided a great deal of attachment sites for the signaling molecule thionine (Thi), thereby increasing the signal response. The aptasensor developed in this study demonstrated a remarkable detection limit of 0.054 fg mL-1 under optimized conditions. Furthermore, the successful detection of T-2 in real samples was achieved using the fabricated sensor. The simplicity of the THMS-based method, which entails modifying the aptamer sequence, allows for easy adaptation to different target analytes. Thus, the sensor holds immense potential for applications in quality supervision and food safety.

A dual-cycle amplification-based electrochemical platform for sensitive detection of tobramycin.

BACKGROUND: Tobramycin (TOB), an essential aminoglycoside antibiotic in human life, poses potential threats due to its residues in the environment. The primary concern is the adverse impact of excessive TOB on human kidneys, hearing, and other organs, significantly affecting human health. Constructing a sensitive electrochemical platform for simple and rapid trace detection is crucial. Herein, to enhance the sensitivity of TOB detection in the environment and mitigate the risks associated with residual antibiotics, an ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor was developed. RESULTS: The sensor employs a dual-cycle amplification strategy involving catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) and exonuclease III (Exo III) for efficient signal amplification. Simultaneously, the electrode performance was optimized by incorporating gold nanowires (AuNWs) onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (PDA-rGO). Specifically, in the presence of TOB, which binds to the aptamer (Apt), dsDNA dissociates, releasing cDNA to open hairpin 1 (HP1) and initiate the CHA cycle with the participation of hairpin 2 (HP2). Exo III shears HP1 in the HP1/HP2 complex, freeing HP2 to participate in the CHA cycle again. Ultimately, a significant amount of signal label is retained on the electrode by hybridizing with sheared HP1, generating a robust electrical signal. SIGNIFICANCE: Through the signal amplification strategy, the aptasensor design provides a broad linear range of 0.005-500 nM, with a low detection limit of 0.112 pM for TOB. It is worth mentioning that the aptasensor displayed favorable stability, specificity, and reproducibility, and has been successfully applied to practical samples, demonstrating its utility in practical applications.

A novel magneto-mediated electrochemical biosensor integrated DNAzyme motor and hollow nanobox-like Pt@Ni-Co electrocatalyst as dual signal amplifiers for vanilla detection.

Herein, a novel magneto-mediated electrochemical aptasensor using the signal amplification technologies of DNAzyme motor and electrocatalyst for vanilla (VAN) detection was fabricated. The D/B duplex, formed by the DNAzyme motor that was each silenced by a blocker, and hairpin DNA1 (H1) containing adenosine ribonucleotide (rA) site were tethered on the sites of the gold nanoparticles@hollow porphyrinic-Metal-organic framework/polyethyleneimine-reduced graphene oxide (AuHPCN-222/PEI-rGO)-modified gold electrode (AuE). Then, after homogeneous and specific recognition in the presence of the VAN, trigger DNA was released and enriched by magnetic separation technique and introduced to the sensing platform to activate the DNAzyme motor, which efficiently improved target recognition capability and avoided the obstacle of multiple DNA strands tangling. More interestingly, the activated DNAzyme motor could repeatedly bind to and cleave H1 in the presence of Mg2+, leading to the exposure of a plethora of capture probes. The thionine (Thi) functionalized hairpin DNA2 (H2)-Pt@Ni-Co as signal probes could hybridize with capture probes. Additionally, the Pt@Ni-Co electrocatalysts presented catalytic activity towards Thi to obtain stronger electrochemical signals. VAN with concentrations ranging from 1 × 10-6 to 10 µM was determined and a detection limit was down to 0.15 pM. The designed electrochemical sensor was highly selective with specificity, stability, reproducibility, and reliable capability for monitoring the VAN in real samples.

Investigating the Effects of NaCl on the Formation of AFs from Gluten in Cooked Wheat Noodles.

To clarify the effect of NaCl concentration (0-2.0%) on the formation of amyloid fibrils (AFs) in cooked wheat noodles, the morphology, surface hydrophobicity, secondary structure, molecular weight distribution, microstructure, and crystal structure of AFs were investigated in this paper. Fluorescence data and Congo red stain images confirmed the presence of AFs and revealed that the 0.4% NaCl concentration promoted the production of AFs. The surface hydrophobicity results showed that the hydrophobicity of AFs increased significantly from 3942.05 to 6117.57 when the salt concentration increased from 0 to 0.4%, indicating that hydrophobic interactions were critical for the formation of AFs. Size exclusion chromatography combined with gel electrophoresis plots showed that the effect of NaCl on the molecular weight of AFs was small and mainly distributed in the range of 5-7.1 KDa (equivalent to 40-56 amino acid residues). X-ray diffraction and AFM images showed that the 0.4% NaCl concentration promoted the formation and longitudinal growth of AFs, while higher NaCl concentrations inhibited the formation and expansion of AFs. This study contributes to the understanding of the mechanism of AF formation in wheat flour processing and provides new insight into wheat gluten aggregation behavior.

A convenient fluorescent/electrochemical dual-mode biosensor for accurate detection of Pb2+ based on DNAzyme cycle.

The presence of heavy metals in the ecological environment is a serious threat to human health. Therefore, it is very important to establish a simple and sensitive method for the detection of heavy metals. Currently, most of the methods are single-channel sensing, and these methods are prone to false-positive signals, which reduces the accuracy. In this work, Pb2+-DNAzyme was immobilized on magnetic beads (MBs) using a linkage of biotin and streptavidin and successfully applied to the construction of a fluorescent/electrochemical dual-mode (DM) biosensor. The supernatant after magnetic separation formed a double strand on the electrode, which was combined with methylene blue (MB) for electrochemical detection (EC). At the same time, FAM-d was added to the precipitate, and after magnetic separation, the supernatant was subjected to fluorescent detection (FL). Under optimal conditions, the signal response of the constructed dual-mode biosensor showed a good linear relationship with the concentration of Pb2+. The DNAzyme-based dual-mode biosensor achieved sensitive and selective detection of Pb2+ with good accuracy and reliability, opening a new way for the development of biosensing strategies for the detection of Pb2+. More importantly, the sensor has high sensitivity and accuracy for the detection of Pb2+ in actual sample analysis.

AgPdNFs and AuNOs@GO nanocomposites for T-2 toxin detection by catalytic hairpin assembly.

T-2 toxin is the most potent and toxic mycotoxin, produced by various Fusarium species that can potentially affect human health, and widely exists in field crops and stored grain. In this work, an electrochemical aptasensor with nonenzymatic signal amplification strategy for the detection of T-2 toxin is presented, using noble metal nanocomposites and catalytic hairpin assembly as signal amplification strategy. Silver palladium nanoflowers and gold octahedron nanoparticles@graphene oxide nanocomposites are used for synergistic amplification of electrical signals. Simultaneously, the catalytic hairpin assembly strategy based on artificial molecular technology was introduced to further amplify the signal. Under optimal conditions, T-2 toxin was measured within a linear concentration range 1 × 10-2 ~ 1 × 104 pg·mL-1 with an extremely low detection limit of 6.71 fg·mL-1. The aptasensor exhibited high sensitivity, good selectivity, satisfactory stability, and excellent reproducibility. Moreover, this method had high accuracy in detecting T-2 toxin in beer sample. The encouraging results show the potential application in foodstuff analysis. A dual signal amplification electrochemical biosensor for the detection of T-2 toxins was constructed, through the signal amplification of noble metal nanomaterials and CHA strategy.

Effect of sanxan gel on the quality of salt-free noodles during cooking.

The effect and mechanism of sanxan on the quality of salt-free noodles (SFNs) were investigated from different cooking stages (initial stage, 1 min; optimum cooking time, OCT; overcooked time, OT). The results showed significant changes in the cooking process with the addition of 1.2% sanxan. The OCT for noodles with 1.2% sanxan (experimental group, EG) was extended from 5 to 7 min compared to the non-added noodles (blank group, BG) and 1.5% salt-containing noodles (control group, CG). The hardness and adhesiveness of BG, EG, and CG all decreased significantly during cooking. In contrast, the springiness, maximum tensile strength, and tensile fracture distance trended first to increase and then to decrease. At OCT, EG had the highest hardness (3971.69 ± 94.49 g), adhesiveness (372.26 ± 33.56 g s), and maximum tensile strength (41.51 ± 2.76 g), which remained large even after overcooking. However, those in BG and CG showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05). The proportion of free water increased progressively as cooking progressed, with CG showing the largest increase, from 82.29% to 91.19%, whereas EG showed the smallest increase, from 78.34% to 86.02%. During the cooking process, the addition of sanxan delayed the water migration, whereas salt promoted it. Sensory evaluation showed that EG was smoother in appearance than BG and tasted malty with a slight stickiness. Moreover, EG had the smallest k1 and C∞ values. Thus, sanxan is an effective additive to enhance the quality of SFNs and can replace the role of salt in noodles in some properties, which is beneficial for the development of SFNs.

Electrochemical aptasensor based on exonuclease III-mediated signal amplification for sensitive detection of vomitoxin in cornmeal.

Vomitoxin (DON) residues in grains are of great concern to public health. Herein, a label-free aptasensor was constructed to detect DON distributed in grains. Cerium-based metal-organic framework composite gold nanoparticles (CeMOF@Au) were used as substrate materials to facilitate electron transfer and provided more binding sites for DNA. The separation of DON-aptamer (Apt) complex and cDNA was achieved by magnetic separation technique based on magnetic beads (MBs), ensuring the specificity of the aptasensor. Exonuclease III (Exo III)-assisted cDNA cycling process strategy would be triggered when cDNA was separated and introduced to the sensing interface for further signal amplification. Under optimal conditions, the constructed aptasensor presented a wide detection range from 1 × 10-8 mg·mL-1 to 5 × 10-4 mg·mL-1 for DON, and the detection limit was 1.79 × 10-9 mg·mL-1, including a satisfactory recovery in cornmeal sample spiked with DON. The results showed that the proposed aptasensor had high reliability and promising application potential in detecting DON.

An efficient electrochemical biosensor for the detection of heavy metal lead in food based on magnetic separation strategy and Y-DNA structure.

Herein, an electrochemical biosensor was developed based on a magnetic separation strategy for the sensitive detection of the heavy metal Pb2+. The specific binding of Pb2+ and the aptamer (Apt) is used to trigger the release of the complementary chain (cDNA) on the magnetic bead system. The cDNA completes base complementary pairing with hairpins HP1 and HP2 at the electrode to form a Y-DNA structure. Then, the Y-DNA runs continuously with the assistance of the signal tag methylene blue (MB) and the current signal increases. However, in the absence of Pb2+, cDNA cannot be released and the Y-DNA structure cannot be formed on the electrode, resulting in a relatively low current signal. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the reduced peak current difference (ΔI) showed a good linear relationship with lg CPb2+ between 0.1 and 1000 nM, with a detection limit of 5.9 pM. In addition, the stability, reproducibility and detection capability of the sensors were investigated with satisfactory results.

Latest strategies for rapid and point of care detection of mycotoxins in food: A review.

Mycotoxins contaminated in agricultural products are often highly carcinogenic and genotoxic to humans. With the streamlining of the food industry chain and the improvement of food safety requirements, the traditional laboratory testing mode is constantly challenged due to the expensive equipment, complex operation steps, and lag in testing results. Therefore, rapid detection methods are urgently needed in the food safety system. This review focuses on the latest strategies that can achieve rapid and on-site testing, with particular attention to the nanomaterials integrated biosensors. To provide researchers with the latest trends and inspiration in the field of rapid detection, we summarize several strategies suitable for point of care testing (POCT) of mycotoxins, including enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), lateral flow assay (LFA), fluorescence, electrochemistry, and colorimetry assay. POCT-based strategies are all developing towards intelligence and portability, especially when combined with smartphones, making it easier to read signals for intuitive access and analysis of test data. Detection performance of the devices has also improved considerably with the integration of biosensors and nanomaterials.

A convenient paper-based fluorescent aptasensor for high-throughput detection of Pb2+ in multiple real samples (water-soil-food).

Lead ion (Pb2+) is one of the most toxic and widely polluted heavy metal ions. Given the potential health risks and economic losses associated with Pb2+, the rapid detection of Pb2+ using fluorescent aptasensors is of significant importance in evaluating food safety. A rapid, facile and economic fluorescent aptasensor using convenient paper as the sensing substrate was designed to high-throughput detect Pb2+ in complex samples within about 45 min. The Pb2+ changed the conformation of FAM-modified Apt from a random coil to a stable G-quadruplex structure. And then Dabcyl-labeled cDNA was added to form double-stranded DNA with the Apt that did not form a G-quadruplex structure, resulting in a weak fluorescence due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The fluorescent aptasensor showed a positive correlation with Pb2+ concentration, and a linear relationship was obtained in the range of 0.01-10 µM with LOD of 6.1 nM. In addition, this method has been successfully used for the determination of Pb2+ in water, soil and various foods containing complex substrates. Meanwhile, the high-throughput detection of Pb2+ has also reached an acceptable level. Therefore, this convenient strategy has potential application value for on-site rapid detection of Pb2+.

A label-free impedance-based electrochemical sensor based on self-assembled dendritic DNA nanostructures for Pb2+ detection.

Here, a label-free impedance-based electrochemical sensor was developed for the quantitative detection of Pb2+. Using conductive gold nanomaterials as electrode substrate materials can provide sensors with larger specific surface area, action sites and excellent conductivity. DNA nanostructures are used for the determination of biomolecules due to their good properties. The Y-DNA structure is formed by the annealing of three DNA sequences, which acts as a stable structure and forms a dendritic structure in combination with the hybrid chain reaction. In the presence of the target Pb2+, it induces the conversion of specific aptamers into G-quadruplexes, resulting in HCR and Y-DNA loading on the electrodes and a significant change in the impedance value signal. Therefore, the proposed biosensor realizes the quantitative detection of Pb2+. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the concentration of Pb2+ exhibited a linear correlation range from 0.5 to1000 nmol/L with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.38 nmol/L. The designed sensors have good recoveries in real samples (tap water and tea). This flexible experimental protocol has broad application prospects.

An electrochemical apta-assay based on hybridization chain reaction and aflatoxin B1-driven Ag-DNAzyme as amplification strategy.

Herein, a novel electrochemical apta-assay based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and aflatoxin B1-driven Ag-DNAzyme was prepared. The combination of HCR and Ag-DNAzyme was designed for the first time as a dual signal amplification strategy for the detection of mycotoxins. The substrate DNA (sDNA) was fixed to the electrode surface, which contained the RNA A (rA) site and HCR initiation sequence. The sDNA opened the hairpin DNA structures and triggered a cascade of hybridization events. The DNA double strands formed by the HCR bound large amounts of methylene blue (MB). Aptamer and complementary DNA bound to Ag+ by C-Ag+-C complexes. AFB1 can drive Ag+ shedding, and Ag+ induced Ag-DNAzyme to shear the rA site of sDNA. The amount of binding MB decreased and the current signal decreased. Replaced biological enzymes with metal ion-mediated DNAzyme enhanced the stability of the prepared sensors while reducing the preparation cost. An adequate determination of AFB1 in corn flour, walnut powder, and other actual samples are validated, which indicated the good accuracy and potential application in real samples. The strategy is characterized by simple operation, good stability, and low preparation cost, and has good application prospects in food safety and quality control.

An aptasensor for cadmium ions detection based on PEI-MoS2@Au NPs 3D flower-like nanocomposites and Thi-PtPd NPs core-shell sphere.

A novel ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor was proposed for quantitative detection of Cd2+. To this end, flower-like polyethyleneimine-functionalized molybdenum disulfide-supported gold nanoparticles (PEI-MoS2 NFs@Au NPs) were used as substrates for the modification of bare gold electrodes (AuE). PEI-MoS2 NFs@Au NPs not only possessed excellent biocompatibility and large specific surface area to enhance the cDNA loading capacity, but also possessed good conductivity to accelerate the electron transfer rate. Furthermore, the preparation of dendritic platinum-palladium nanoparticles (PtPd NPs) can effectively load Cd2+-aptamer. Thionine and aptamers were loaded onto PtPd NPs to construct Thi-PtPd NPs-aptamer signal probes. The signal probes were captured by the cDNA immobilized on the electrode via base-pairing rule, and the signal of Thi was detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). In the presence of Cd2+, aptamer-cDNA unwinded, and the combination of aptamer and Cd2+ caused the signal probes to fall off the electrode and the electrical signal decreases. Under optimal conditions, the proposed aptasensor exhibited a linear relationship between the logarithm of Cd2+ concentration and the current response over a wide range of 1 × 10-3 nM to 1 × 102 nM, with a detection limit of 2.34 × 10-4 nM. At the same time, the aptasensor was used to detect Cd2+ in tap water with satisfactory results. In addition, it has good reproducibility, selectivity and stability, and has broad application prospects in heavy metal analysis.

Colloidal Au sphere and nanoflower-based immunochromatographic strips for sensitive detection of zearalenone in cereals.

Zearalenone (ZEN), also known as an F-2 toxin, is a secondary metabolite in the toxic Fusarium species with estrogen properties. ZEN and its derivatives can cause developmental and reproductive disorders in humans and other mammals. In this study, colloidal Au spheres (AuSPs) and Au nanoflowers (AuNFs) were used as signal labels to detect ZEN in cereals, and the critical factors affecting the sensitivity of the immunochromatographic strip (ICS), namely the volume of antigen, antibody, and probe quantities were optimized and compared in detail. Since the large specific surface area of AuNFs reduces the steric hindrance of proteins, it is more conducive to improving the fixation rate of antibodies and proteins. Compared with the traditional colloidal AuSP immunochromatographic strip (AuSP-ICS), the volume of the antibody used in the AuNF immunochromatographic strip (AuNF-ICS) was 0.6 times that in the AuSPs-ICS. At the same antigen volume, a lower amount of probe can achieve the desired visual detection effect and higher sensitivity. For the AuNF-ICS, the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.08 ng mL-1. ZEN could be detected quickly and accurately from 0.08-10.2 ng mL-1. And the AuNF-ICS had a high degree of specificity and sensitivity to ZEN. In summary, the AuNF-ICS serves as a valuable tool in large-scale on-site detection of ZEN.