Abstract: Tea polyphenols ( TP) as the natural compounds extracted from tea with broad- spectrum antimicrobial activity, are widely used as natural food preservatives. With the increasing concern of food safety, TP was recognized and accepted for its better security.Based on the research status on antimicrobial properties of TP at home and abroad, the researches that concerned with the chemical composition, antimicrobial activities, inactivation effect on bacterial toxins and antimicrobial mechanisms of TP were reviewed systematically in this paper.This work aimed at providing some references for wider and more proper application of TP in food and medicine field.