Abstract: Flavonoid compounds are the most abundant polyphenols which are rich in citrus and have strong antioxidant,anticancer effects,as well as lowering cholesterol levels and other physiological functions. They have been widely used in food,medicine and cosmetics etc. In this paper,the structure,the category of citrus flavonoids and physical and chemical properties were discussed,the pretreatment techniques of flavonoids from citrus in recent years were reviewed,such as solid phase extraction,flash extraction,supercritical fluid extraction,molecularly imprinted technology,the liquid chromatography(LC)and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)detection technology of citrus flavonoids was summarized in recent years. And the trend of research and development of active ingredients in citrus in the future was analyzed.