Recent progress of DNA walker and its applications in food safety analysis

Food hazards cause severe human illness and death worldwide every year. DNA walker possesses ingenious design and adaptable function. The structural advantage enables the DNA walker to accurately identify molecules and perform efficient mechanical movement. This feature provides a potential platform for food analysis. However, some reviews are roughly classified according to the structure of the walker, and some are only classified according to the biosensors used in analysis. Different from these, this review is the first time to show how DNA walkers achieve signal amplification in the analysis process according to the classification of major food hazard factors. Various examples of the application of DNA walkers in food safety, including the detection of pathogens, mycotoxins, and other hazard factors, will be covered. To better comprehend the functions of DNA walkers, we firstly and innovatively propose a “wagon model”, and simplify the integration of key driving forces to classify DNA walkers. Furthermore, this review broadens the application of DNA walker and provides a more powerful molecular tool for food analysis. The in-depth direction should focus on improving the operational efficiency and sensitivity of the DNA walker, enhance the anti-background interference ability, and on-site detection capabilities for food safety analysis.