Antioxidants are known to exhibit a protective effect
against reactive
oxygen species (ROS)-related oxidative damage. As a result, inclusion
of exogenous antioxidants in the diet has greatly increased. In this
sense, detection and quantification of such antioxidants in various
food and beverage items are of eminent importance. Monophenols and
polyphenols are among the most prominent natural antioxidants. In
this regard, biosensors have emerged as a simple, fast, and economical
method for determination of such antioxidants. Owing to the fact that
majority of the phenolic antioxidants are electroactive, oxidoreductase
enzymes are the most extensively availed bioreceptors for their detection.
Herein, the different types of oxidoreductases that have been utilized
in biosensors for the biorecognition and quantification of natural
phenolic compounds commonly present in foods and beverages are discussed.
Apart from the most accustomed electrochemical biosensors, this review
sheds light on the alternative transduction systems for the detection
of phenolic antioxidants. Recent advances in the strategies involved
in enzyme immobilization and surface modification of the biosensing
platform are analyzed. This review aims to provide a brief overview
of the latest developments in biosensor technology for phenolic antioxidant
analysis in foodstuffs and future directions in this field.