Abstract: Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites predominately produced by fungi such as Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus, which widely contaminate agricultural produce. These aflatoxins have potent carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic, immunosuppressive and estrogenic effects in humans when consumed. Most of aflatoxins are chemically stable and highly resistant even when cooked at high temperatures, so they can easily enter the feed and food chain, resulting in a serious threat to human and animal health. Several methods have been reported for the analysis of aflatoxins, including high performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, timeresolved fluorescence immunoassay, thin layer chromatography, surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy and electrochemical biosensor. This article briefly introduced the chemical structure of aflatoxin, physical and chemical properties, and the status of contamination, hazard to human health, and its limit standard in food. Various analytical methods were systematically expounded about the status, advantage and disadvantage. The development direction of the methods for determining aflatoxins were also pointed out.