Surface　enhanced　Raman　spectroscopy　(SERS)　is　a　technique　in　which　target　molecules　are　adsorbed　onto　a　nanometerrough　metal　surface,　significantly　enhancing　the　Raman　signal.　SERS　has　the　advantages　of　high　sensitivity,　no　interference　from　water,　simple　operation,　rapidness,　non-destructive　testing　and　so　on,　and　has　become　a　research　hotspot　in　food,　chemistry,　medical　science　and　so　on.　Liquid　food　(e.g.,　milk,　edible　oil,　drinks,　honey,　wine)　is　indispensable　for　human　survival　and　daily　life.　The　safety　of　liquid　food　is　related　to　consumer＇s　health　and　the　enterprise＇s　benefit,　so　it　is　very　important　to　detect　the　safety　of　liquid　food　quickly　and　in　real-time.　Liquid　food-related　safety　indicators　such　as　antibiotic　residues,　pesticide　residues,　pigments,　illegal　additives,　etc.　Usually　have　strong　Raman　activity,　and　using　the　“fingerprint”　characteristic　of　SERS　technology,　trace　substances　in　liquid　food　can　be　quickly　and　accurately　detected　qualitatively　and　quantitatively.　Compared　with　other　spectroscopic　techniques,　the　non-interference　of　water　in　SERS　technology　is　simpler　to　detect　and　analyze　the　matrix　of　aqueous　solution　samples　(e.g.,　milk,　beverage　and　wine).　It　has　more　potential　to　realize　online　real-time　detection　of　liquid　food　quality　and　safety,　and　it　is　a　frontier　analytical　technique　with　great　application　potential　and　prospects　in　the　field　of　liquid　food　quality　and　safety　detection.　This　paper　briefly　describes　the　enhancement　principles　of　SERS　technology　and　summarizes　the　relevant　SERS　substrate　research　in　the　field　of　liquid　food　safety　testing,　and　focuses　on　the　application　and　research　status　of　SERS　technology　in　the　field　of　liquid　food　quality　detection,　summarizes　recent　research　work　and　progress　in　liquid　food-related　safety　(e.g.,　lipid　oxidation,　antibiotic　residues,　pesticide　residues,　wine　origin　identification)　in　terms　of　sample　pre-treatment　methods,　substrate　types　and　detection　limits;　discusses　the　advantages　and　limitations　of　SERS　technology,　as　well　as　the　main　challenges　and　future　development　prospects.　©　2023　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.