A quinoline-malononitrile-based fluorescent probe for real-time monitoring of viscosity changes in biological systems and liquid food spoilage

Viscosity is vital in biology and food, but most fluorescent probes serve one field. EHQM, a quinoline-malononitrile D–π–A rotor, uses TICT for 78-fold turn-on at 563 nm. It images cell viscosity and monitors food spoilage and thickener efficacy.