Abstract: To improve the quality and food safety of live shellfish, solve the problems of low depuration efficiency, difficulty in pollutants desorption and the loss during depuration. In this paper, the accumulation and metabolism of pollutants, depuration methods, key factors of depuration effect of shellfish are discussed, combination and optimization of depuration methods, cold sterilization technology are recommended to use during depuration. Research on the application of probiotic in the depuration, development of green and efficient safe purification agents and new depuration equipment, modern depuration plants design, timely formulate and update industry standards for shellfish depuration are presented as suggestions in the paper to provide a reference for in-depth research on shellfish depuration.