Ionizing radiation (IR) refers to the general term of radiation which can cause ionization of substances， and can penetrate the tissues of the body and cause direct damage to DNA， lipids， proteins and other biological macromolecules. IR can also ionize water molecules to produce reactive oxygen radicals， inducing oxidative damage. Radiation-protective functional foods refer to a category of functional foods primarily formulated with bioactive components such as polyphenols， polysaccharides， and saponins as functional base materials. These foods aim to protect the body's hematopoietic system， immune system， reproductive system， and other critical systems， serving to alleviate radiation-induced damage. Currently， while numerous radiation-protective functional base materials have been reported， only a limited variety are utilized in such functional foods. Furthermore， existing products predominantly adopt traditional formats like capsules and compound decoctions， highlighting an urgent need to diversify product forms. The development of novel radiation-protective functional foods using engineered food formats as carriers holds great promise. This study reviews the types and protective effects of radiation-protective functional ingredients， the current status of radiation-protective functional food development， and proposes the future direction for this category of functional foods. This work aims to provide reference for promoting the development and application of radiation-protective functional foods.

ionizing radiation； radiation protection； functional base material； functional food； engineered food