As a famous and rare medicinal material and the pilot variety of homology of medicine and food,the output and consumption of Gastrodia elata gradually increase.The effects of processing on its chemical compounds and bioactivities have become the focus of various research.The research progress of G. elata in recent five years were analyzed from the perspective of the effects of different processing (steaming and drying as representative) on the nutritional components (e.g.,starch,protein,and vitamins,etc.) and functional components (e.g.,adenosine,phenolics and phenolic glycosides,and bioactive polysaccharides,etc.) and microstructure of G. elata slices.We found a certain degree of relationship between changes in chemical compositions and microstructures of G. elata during processing,and revealed the internal mechanism of processing on chemical compositions and microstructures of G. elata.Finally,the development and utilization status of G. elata were proposed.It provides the foundation and basis for deep processing and multi-functional exploitation of G. elata.