Utilisation of microbiosensors for monitoring phenols in whisky fermentation process

Biosensors for the specific, sensitive and rapid detection of analytes could play an important role in fermentation industries such as the whisky industry. Long-standing challenges remain unmet and these are associated with the establishment of low-cost, easy-to-use, miniaturised, robust, reliable and highly specific biosensors. In this paper, an optical method, and more specifically fluorescence, is used for the development of a portable biosensor in combination with enzyme technology and microfabrication for the determination of phenols in smoked whisky. At present, chromatographic techniques are utilised by taking a single sample from the fermentation vessel, which may not be totally representative, so an in situ biosensor can improve the quality control during the fermentation process. The enzyme tyrosinase and a fluorescence ruthenium complex oxygen indicator were used for the detection of different phenol percentage. The enzyme and the indicator were immobilised in polymeric films during the microfabrication process. Furthermore, a comparative assessment of the enzyme and the aptamer technologies are discussed. During the last 20 years since the SELEX method developed, over 2000 papers related to aptamers or SELEX have been published and the aptamer biosensors have been enchanced and many new DNA aptamers have been developed. The utilisation of aptamer technology is discussed and advantages over the enzyme biosensor are highlighted for future work