With consumers" increasing concern for food safety and environmental protection, the application of polylactic acid (PLA) antimicrobial composites in the food field has attracted a lot of attention. PLA, as a biodegradable and environmentally friendly material, possesses good biocompatibility, however, its antimicrobial properties are weak, which limits the scope of application. This problem can be effectively improved by compositing with various antimicrobial agents. Common antimicrobial agents include metal and oxide nanoparticles, natural antimicrobial substances and organic antimicrobial agents. These antimicrobial agents, when compounded with PLA, confer excellent antimicrobial activity to the material, which can effectively inhibit the growth of common spoilage microorganisms and pathogenic microorganisms in food. This paper reviews the research progress of PLA antimicrobial composites, focusing on the preparation method of PLA antimicrobial composites, the classification of antimicrobial composites, and their applications in food, which will provide some reference for the research and production of new and efficient antimicrobial PLA composites in the future.