The excessive use or abuse of pesticides leads to residues in food, which can threaten human health. Therefore, there is an extremely urgent need for multi-analyte analysis techniques for the detection of pesticide residues, which can be applied as screening techniques for food safety monitoring and detection. Recent developments related to rapid multi-residue detection methods for pesticide residues are reviewed herein. Methods based on the inherent characteristics of pesticides are described in detail. Enzymatic inhibition-based sensors, near-infrared spectroscopy, and SERS spectroscopy based on the inherent characteristics are discussed.
Methods based on different recognition elements or the inherent characteristics of pesticides and veterinary drugs are described in detail. The preparation and application of three broadly specific recognition elements—antibodies, aptamers, and molecular imprinted polymers—are summarized. Furthermore, enzymatic inhibition-based sensors, near-infrared spectroscopy, and SERS spectroscopy based on the inherent characteristics are also discussed.