Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a non-thermal sterilization technique, and mercury vapor ultraviolet lamps currently serve as the primary equipment for food hygiene. However, due to some factors, the production and usage of mercury lamps gradually reduced. The inevitable trend has been their replacement by environmentally friendly and energy-efficient ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED). This article, based on the principles of UV-LED light emission and the characteristics of multi-wavelength coupling applications, briefly reviewed the mechanisms of microbial inactivation. The factors affecting the inactivation effect (wavelength, UV dose and material characteristics), the sterilization effect of processed foods and the impact on the quality of some foods were explored. The aim was to provide a reference for optimizing the sterilization processes and equipment parameters of UV-LED in the field of food hygiene.