Objective To provide technical basis for the development of release-type antioxidant active food packaging film and its application in food industry. Methods The mold, its application effect, release rate control and the recent development of release-type antioxidant active food packaging film were reviewed. And the problems to be studied and the development trend of the release-type antioxidant active food packaging film were summarized. Results Research on this active film is still in the starting phase at the moment. The systemic research system had not yet been established, and the regulation effectiveness, safety, antioxidant mechanism, motivate mechanism, the release rule and its theoretical model have not been systematically and deeply studied. Conclusion Development of highly effective, safe, stable and controllable release-type antioxidant packaging film, and its combination with other fresh-keeping technologies, such as MAP, irradiation etc, are the future direction of food active packaging technology.