In order to investigate the effects of Maillard reaction on the activity of peptide antioxidant from pearl mussel,reducing force was set as the index,the Maillard reaction process was optimized by means of response surface method( RSM). According to regression analysis,the optimum impact factors of its antioxidant activity were obtained as follows: Modification of reactant: xylose; Reaction temperature: 100 ℃; Glycopeptide ratio: 3∶ 1; pH: 5. 0; Reaction time: 40min. Under this condition,reducing force and hydroxyl radical scavenging rate of polypeptide from pearl mussel increased 9. 7 and 5. 2 times,respectively. The IC50value of clearance rate of DPPH was 0. 218 mg /mL,and scavenging capacity was significantly higher than before. The results indicated that the Maillard reaction was an effective method to improve the antioxidant activity of polypeptide from pearl mussel.