Abstract: The Maillard reaction is a common reaction, which can improve the food aroma and color during food heating process. However, harmful derivatives as side-product of Maillard reaction, such as acrylamide, furan, heterocyclic amine, advanced glycation endproducts, may cause potential food safety hazards. Polyphenols is a class of natural antioxidant coumpounds and exist in plants. Accordingly, the presence of polyphenols can inhibit the Maillard reaction by interfering in the reaction procedure, resulting in less formation of harmful derivatives. This paper reviewed several common harmful derivatives from the Maillard reaction and their formation pathways. The potential impacts of polyphenols during the Maillard reaction were analyzed. However, research on the intervention mechanisms of Maillard reaction by polyphenols is scarce. In addition, effects of polyphenols on the Maillard reaction, which is a complex system, vary with polyphenol species. From the viewpoint of metabolomics, comprehensive study of the effects on fingerprints and characteristic products for the Maillard reaction is important to explain the mechanism of harmful derivatives inhibition by polyphenols.