This sensor could detect pesticides in fruits and vegetables within minutes

Swedish researchers have developed an inexpensive and reproducible mini-sensor to quickly detect pesticides in fruits and vegetables. — AFP Relaxnews

Many of the fruits and vegetables we eat contain pesticide residue. To better detect the presence of these substances in food products, Swedish researchers have developed an inexpensive and reproducible mini-sensor.

Developed by scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, this nano-sensor is inspired by a method that has existed since the 1970s: surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). This is a rather technical term for a process that consists in identifying the presence of biomolecules via a metallic surface.