Abstract: Russula is a kind of edible fungi, rich in nutrients and bioactive ingredients including polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and so on. Meanwhile, it presents good biological activities such as hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anticancer and antibacterial activities. In addition, the application of microbial fermentation technology in edible fungi can effectively improve the nutrient content or produce new functional active substances. At present, the application of edible fungus fermentation process is gradually increasing. Based on the above researches, this study reviewes the extraction and purification of bioactive components, as well as the analysis of nutrient substances in Russula. And the bioactivities of active ingredients in Russula are emphasized, including the immune regulation, antioxidant, anticancer activities and so on. Moreover, the research progress of application and product development in edible fungus fermentation field are summarized to provide some reference for the comprehensive application of Russula in functional food industry.