Food safety issues remain a worldwide challenge due to the presence of contaminants. DNA-based sensors have been suggested to help detect molecules such as biomarkers, contaminants, drugs and small molecules. Electrochemical and optical DNA sensors combined with nanomaterials or functional polymers offer real-time and rapid analysis of target analytes in complex samples. The applications of DNA sensing technology in food analysis have shown remarkable progress. Therefore, the proposed critical review aims to summarize the progress of DNA-based optical and electrochemical biosensors that aim to detect contaminants from food samples developed during the last four years. Applied DNA sensors for food contaminants analysis were categorized according to the type of contaminants, the nanomaterials used in the design or their amplification sensing strategies. New trends, main challenges, and future outlook for the use of DNA-based sensor designs in food security are discussed.