Abstract: 3-chloro-1, 2-propanediol (3-MCPD) has been known for decades as a food-processing contaminant. With further research, 3-MCPD has been detected in more and more foods. Recent findings have documented that this food-borne contaminant occurs in foods either free or, even in much larger amounts, mostly esterifies with fatty acids. 3-MCPD fatty acid esters (3-MCPD esters) had been detected in many kinds of foods including coffee, infant formulas and oils. The hydrolysis of 3-MCPD esters may lead to the release of free 3-MCPD in a certain condition and thus the released 3-MCPD from esters may cause the body’s toxic effect. The researcher has reported that the acute oral toxicity and the cytotoxicity of 3-MCPD monopalmitate. Therefore, the further research of 3-MCPD esters’ toxicity is particularly important. The source of 3-MCPD esters in foods, the factors influencing their formation, recent technological advances for their determination, also, their metabolic transformation and toxicity research were reviewed in this paper.