Abstract: Nanostructured lipid carriers is a new dosage form in food industry. As a delivery system for functional foods, it has a high drug loading and encapsulation rate, which can effectively increase the bioavailability and stability of fat-soluble bioactive substances, improve the nutritional value and safety of food, and control the release of encapsulating materials, so it has a broad application prospect. In this paper, the classification of structural characteristics (imperfect type, amorphous type and multiple type) and several common preparation methods of nanostructured lipid carriers are reviewed, including the process flow as well as the advantages and drawbacks of hot high-pressure homogenization, cold high-pressure homogenization, solvent emulsification diffusion method, solvent emulsification evaporation method, solvent injection/solvent displacement method, microemulsion technique, emulsification ultrasonic method, membrane contractor, phase inversion techniques and super critical fluid method. The protection and delivery of nanostructured lipid carriers for essential fatty acids, carotenoids, phytosterols, fat-soluble vitamins, polyphenols and other bioactive substances in functional food field are summarized. The limitations and future research trends of nanostructured lipid carriers delivery system in food industry are summarized and discussed, which would provide a theoretical basis for subsequent research.