Abstract: Cold plasma is a novel non-thermal processing technology in food sterilization with the advantages of retaining the food quality to the greatest extent and exhibiting great working efficiency simultaneously. This paper comprehensively expounds the basic concept, the different production modes and the sterilization mechanisms about cold plasma. Meanwhile, the applications of cold plasma in killing common foodborne pathogens in different foods are enumerated. The factors, such as the state and surface structure of the food, that may affect the working efficiency are discussed. The contribution of UV, pH value and electric field on the working efficiency are analyzed. The aim is to provide reference for the application of cold plasma in the field of food sterilization.