Recent advances in biosensors for umami substance detection.

Umami is one of the five fundamental tastes perceived by individuals during food consumption. Umami substances are vital constituent in food with directly affecting taste profiles and food flavor characteristics, thereby significantly influencing consumer perception and satisfaction. Consequently, the development of effective evaluation methodologies for umami substances holds significance for ensuring food quality, enhancing pleasant food attributes, and fostering advancements within the food industry. However, traditional evaluation techniques for umami substances are not devoid of shortcomings, including susceptibility to subjective biases, the need for well-trained panelists, complex pretreatment procedures, and costly analytical instruments. In contrast, biosensors have emerged as a viable alternative due to their exceptional specificity, sensitivity, rapid analysis capabilities, and cost-effective analytical nature, making them suitable for the evaluation of umami substances in food. This review concisely introduced the main umami substances and the currently available biosensitive elements. It also provided a comprehensive overview of the application of various types of biosensors, including electrochemical biosensors, electrochemiluminescent biosensors, and bioelectronic tongue, for the detection of umami substances. Furthermore, from the analytical chemistry perspective, the review delved into the limitations, challenges faced, and future trajectories in the design of biosensors, offering practical insights for the development of biosensors. Biosensors exhibited significant potential for application in the assessment of umami in food.