Synthesis, Selectivity, Application, and Future Trends of Gas Adsorption Materials for Rapid Food Quality Detection: A Review

Gas adsorption technology serves as a critical tool in rapid food detection for capturing volatile organic compounds. The research in this domain has predominantly emphasized sensing reaction, often overlooking the significant role of adsorption capacity in enhancing detection sensitivity. Current investigations reveal that, though studies on gas adsorption within the food field remain relatively limited, valuable insights can be drawn from adsorption technologies developed in other fields. The common adsorbents are constrained by inadequate selectivity, limited capacity, and insufficient stability. This review systematically summarizes recent advances and application potential of novel gas adsorption materials for food quality detection, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), porous organic polymers (POPs), porous carbon materials (PCMs), and mixed matrix materials (MMMs)-with a focus on their synthesis strategies, adsorption performance, and respective advantages and limitations. Special emphasis is placed on their selective adsorption behavior toward different gases. The practical deployment of these materials continues to face challenges in the food quality detection aspects, including adsorption efficiency, high synthesis costs, limited stability, and complex fabrication processes. Future advances rely on the rational design of materials, the development of low-cost synthesis routes, and the enhancement of their adsorption and sensing performance in food detection. Such improvements are expected to broaden the applications of gas adsorption materials in rapid food detection, improving detection sensitivity and accuracy.