Applications of graphene in quality assurance and safety of food

•We review applications of graphene and derivatives in food science and technology.•We present methods for synthesizing graphene from foodstuffs.•Many food-analysis techniques benefit from the use of graphene.•Graphene is useful in extracting and sensing food toxins and organic contaminants.•Graphene has antibacterial properties that improved food-packaging applications.

There is tremendous interest in graphene and its derivatives [graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO (rGO)] due to their superior mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, and chemical-adsorption properties. In the past few years, graphene-based materials attracted much attention and were used for a myriad of practical applications in various industries. In this review, we present a comprehensive, state-of-the art assessment of graphene applications in the food industry. We critically examine recent developments on graphene synthesis from foodstuffs, use of graphene for food analyses, and graphene-based analytical methods in detection (e.g., composition, contaminants, toxins, and volatile organic compounds), which help to ascertain quality and/or safety of foods. We also discuss antibacterial properties of graphene-based nanomaterials and their applications in food packaging.