Histamine-Responsive Membrane-Incorporated Pixel Array with Integrated Readout Circuit for On-Site Monitoring of Food Spoilage

This study presents a modulated-driven pixel array integrated with a membrane based on polyvinyl chloride film for highly accurate histamine detection. Utilizing a high-performance readout circuit with a sophisticated dual offset-canceling comparator, the sensor exhibits excellent linearity across a histamine concentration range of 0.1 μM to 300 μM. It attains a sensitivity of 10.25 mV/μM and exhibits about 60% signal shift when histamine is catalyzed by diamine oxidase. In contrast, cyclic voltammetry just showed merely a 3.8% variation, highlighting its limited effectiveness in accurately distinguishing histamine concentrations. A significant inhibition effect arises under high interference conditions, particularly when the histamine-to-putrescine/cadaverine/tyramine ratio reaches 1:20. This phenomenon is especially evident in decomposed samples, where histamine levels peak at 910 μg g –1 alongside elevated concentrations of cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine. The proposed pixel array’s high sensitivity and selectivity make it a promising tool for on-site histamine monitoring in food and fish markets. Its portability facilitates rapid screening, enabling timely intervention and reducing histamine-related health risks, thereby strengthening food safety surveillance.