Yarrowia lipolytica is known as a kind of unconventional yeast, it has been widely used in various industries due to its unique physical and chemical properties, and yeast metabolic characteristics. This yeast is widely used in food industry because it belongs to GRAS microorganisms. The application of Yarrowia lipolytica in the food industry was reviewed in this article. Yarrowia lipolytica mainly can be used in production of dairy and meat products, aromatic compounds, polyols and organic acid, and surfactants and emulsifiers. Furthermore, it can cause food corruption, production of be used as a single cell lipid and single cell protein, and be involved in the degradation of food waste and transformation. This paper clarified the importance and broad application prospect of Yarrowia lipolytica in food industry.