In order to ensure the freshness of daily food, it is particularly important to optimize the sterilization, preservation and refrigeration processes during food processing, packaging and transportation. Nanomaterials are widely used in food production due to their good thermal, magnetic, and mechanical properties, which can shorten the sterilization time and maintain the organoleptic and nutritional properties of food. An overview of the application of nanomaterials in the field of food industry is presented, respectively from three aspects: the application of nanofluid in the liquid food sterilization, bacterial nanofibrillar film food packaging, and nano phase change cold storage materials in cold chain logistics, introducing the preparation methods of nanofluid, bacterial nanofibrillar film, and nano-phase-change cold storage materials, while analyzing the technological difficulties in process of the application of nanomaterials, with the analysis of the technical difficulties in the application of nanomaterials and the summary of the application prospects of nanomaterials in the food industry.