Editing Microfluidics (section)

===Food science===
Microfluidic techniques such as droplet microfluidics, paper microfluidics, and [[lab-on-a-chip]] are used in the realm of food science in a variety of categories.<ref name="Neethirajan 2011 1574">{{Cite journal|last1=Neethirajan|first1=Suresh|last2=Kobayashi|first2=Isao|last3=Nakajima|first3=Mitsutoshi|last4=Wu|first4=Dan|last5=Nandagopal|first5=Saravanan|last6=Lin|first6=Francis|date=2011|title=Microfluidics for food, agriculture and biosystems industries|url=http://xlink.rsc.org/?DOI=c0lc00230e|journal=Lab on a Chip|language=en|volume=11|issue=9|pages=1574–1586|doi=10.1039/c0lc00230e|pmid=21431239 |issn=1473-0197}}</ref> Research in nutrition,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Verma|first1=Kiran|last2=Tarafdar|first2=Ayon|last3=Badgujar|first3=Prarabdh C.|date=January 2021|title=Microfluidics assisted tragacanth gum based sub-micron curcumin suspension and its characterization|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2020.110269|journal=LWT|volume=135|pages=110269|doi=10.1016/j.lwt.2020.110269|s2cid=224875232 |issn=0023-6438}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hsiao|first1=Ching-Ju|last2=Lin|first2=Jui-Fen|last3=Wen|first3=Hsin-Yi|last4=Lin|first4=Yu-Mei|last5=Yang|first5=Chih-Hui|last6=Huang|first6=Keng-Shiang|last7=Shaw|first7=Jei-Fu|date=2020-02-15|title=Enhancement of the stability of chlorophyll using chlorophyll-encapsulated polycaprolactone microparticles based on droplet microfluidics|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814619314116|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=306|pages=125300|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125300|pmid=31562927 |s2cid=201219877 |issn=0308-8146}}</ref> food processing, and food safety benefit from microfluidic technique because experiments can be done with less reagents.<ref name="Neethirajan 2011 1574"/>
 
Food processing requires the ability to enable shelf stability in foods, such as emulsions or additions of preservatives. Techniques such as droplet microfluidics are used to create emulsions that are more controlled and complex than those created by traditional homogenization due to the precision of droplets that is achievable. Using microfluidics for emulsions is also more energy efficient compared to homogenization in which “only 5% of the supplied energy is used to generate the emulsion, with the rest dissipated as heat” .<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=He|first1=Shan|last2=Joseph|first2=Nikita|last3=Feng|first3=Shilun|last4=Jellicoe|first4=Matt|last5=Raston|first5=Colin L.|date=2020|title=Application of microfluidic technology in food processing|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d0fo01278e|journal=Food & Function|volume=11|issue=7|pages=5726–5737|doi=10.1039/d0fo01278e|pmid=32584365 |s2cid=220059922 |issn=2042-6496}}</ref> Although these methods have benefits, they currently lack the ability to be produced at large scale that is needed for commercialization.<ref name="Hinderink 105610">{{Cite journal|last1=Hinderink|first1=Emma B. A.|last2=Kaade|first2=Wael|last3=Sagis|first3=Leonard|last4=Schroën|first4=Karin|last5=Berton-Carabin|first5=Claire C.|date=2020-05-01|title=Microfluidic investigation of the coalescence susceptibility of pea protein-stabilised emulsions: Effect of protein oxidation level|journal=Food Hydrocolloids|language=en|volume=102|pages=105610|doi=10.1016/j.foodhyd.2019.105610|s2cid=212935489 |issn=0268-005X|doi-access=free}}</ref> Microfluidics are also used in research as they allow for innovation in food chemistry and food processing.<ref name="Neethirajan 2011 1574"/><ref name="Hinderink 105610"/> An example in food engineering research is a novel micro-3D-printed device fabricated to research production of droplets for potential food processing industry use, particularly in work with enhancing emulsions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=Jia|last2=Xu|first2=Wenhua|last3=Xu|first3=Fengying|last4=Lu|first4=Wangwang|last5=Hu|first5=Liuyun|last6=Zhou|first6=Jianlin|last7=Zhang|first7=Chen|last8=Jiang|first8=Zhuo|date=February 2021|title=Microfluidic droplet formation in co-flow devices fabricated by micro 3D printing|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110212|journal=Journal of Food Engineering|volume=290|pages=110212|doi=10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110212|s2cid=224841971 |issn=0260-8774}}</ref>
 
Paper and droplet microfluidics allow for devices that can detect small amounts of unwanted bacteria or chemicals, making them useful in food safety and analysis.<ref name="doi.org">Harmon JB, Gray HK, Young CC, Schwab KJ (2020) Microfluidic droplet application for bacterial surveillance in fresh-cut produce wash waters. PLoS ONE 15(6): e0233239. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233239</ref> Paper-based microfluidic devices are often referred to as microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) and can detect such things as nitrate,<ref name="Trofimchuk 126396">{{Cite journal|last1=Trofimchuk|first1=Evan|last2=Hu|first2=Yaxi|last3=Nilghaz|first3=Azadeh|last4=Hua|first4=Marti Z.|last5=Sun|first5=Selina|last6=Lu|first6=Xiaonan|date=2020-06-30|title=Development of paper-based microfluidic device for the determination of nitrite in meat|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814620302557|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=316|pages=126396|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126396|pmid=32066068 |s2cid=211160645 |issn=0308-8146}}</ref> preservatives,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ko|first1=Chien-Hsuan|last2=Liu|first2=Chan-Chiung|last3=Chen|first3=Kuan-Hong|last4=Sheu|first4=Fuu|last5=Fu|first5=Lung-Ming|last6=Chen|first6=Szu-Jui|date=2021-05-30|title=Microfluidic colorimetric analysis system for sodium benzoate detection in foods|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814620326352|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=345|pages=128773|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128773|pmid=33302108 |s2cid=228100279 |issn=0308-8146}}</ref> or antibiotics<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Trofimchuk|first1=Evan|last2=Nilghaz|first2=Azadeh|last3=Sun|first3=Selina|last4=Lu|first4=Xiaonan|date=2020|title=Determination of norfloxacin residues in foods by exploiting the coffee-ring effect and paper-based microfluidics device coupling with smartphone-based detection|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1750-3841.15039|journal=Journal of Food Science|language=en|volume=85|issue=3|pages=736–743|doi=10.1111/1750-3841.15039|pmid=32017096 |s2cid=211023292 |issn=1750-3841}}</ref> in meat by a colorimetric reaction that can be detected with a smartphone. These methods are being researched because they use less reactants, space, and time compared to traditional techniques such as liquid chromatography. μPADs also make home detection tests possible, which is of interest to those with allergies and intolerances.<ref name="Trofimchuk 126396"/> In addition to paper-based methods, research demonstrates droplet-based microfluidics shows promise in drastically shortening the time necessary to confirm viable bacterial contamination in agricultural waters in the domestic and international food industry.<ref name="doi.org"/>