Squalene is a small molecular lipid with functional activity,which exists in animals,plants and microorganism,and possesses wide bioactivities such as anti-oxidation,preventing cancer,anticancer,anti-radiation,oxygen-carrying,skin moisturizer and inhibiting microbial growth etc.Thus,squalene is extensively applied in the development of functional food,cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.Analysis on squalene content in different foods has always been the focus of domestic and foreign scholars.The sample pretreatment methods for squalene in different foods are mainly summarized in this review,including supercritical carbon dioxide extraction,solid phase extraction,solid phase microextraction,saponification extraction,organic solvent extraction and fractional crystallization etc.Meanwhile,the application and development of detection methods for squalene,such as gas chromatography,liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry etc.,are also reviewed in order to provide a reference for analysis of squalene in food.