Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in food analytics: Detection of vitamins B2 and B12 in cereals

• The SERS-based detection of B2 and B12 in simulated food matrix was shown.
• The stability of the SERS substrate was tested for the analysis in acidic conditions.
• Two different cereal extraction protocols were tested for analyzing B2 and B12.

Food analysis has been gaining interest throughout recent decades for different reasons: the detection of hazardous substances in food and routine investigations of food composition and vitamin/nutrient contents. Regardless of the targeted component, food analysis raises a few challenges regarding the complexity of the matrix and detecting trace amounts of substances. We report herein the results obtained regarding the simultaneous detection of two B vitamins (riboflavin, vitamin B2 and cyanocobalamin, vitamin B12) by means of SERS. SERS provides molecular fingerprint identification and high analytical sensitivity together with a low processing time and cost. All these make SERS a promising tool for the development of food analytical methods.

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