China　generates　over　100　million　tons　of　food　waste　annually,　leading　to　significant　environmental　pollution　and　health　risks　if　not　managed　properly.　Converting　FW　into　a　high-value-added　platform　molecule,　lactic　acid　(LA),　through　fermentation　offers　a　promising　approach　for　both　waste　treatment　and　resource　recovery.　This　paper　presents　a　comprehensive　review　of　recent　advancements　in　LA　production　from　FW,　focusing　on　pure　strains　fermentation　and　open　fermentation　technologies,　metabolic　mechanisms,　and　problems　in　fermentation.　It　also　assesses　purification　methods,　including　molecular　distillation,　adsorption,　membrane　separation,　precipitation,　esterification　and　hydrolysis,　solvent　extraction,　and　in-situ　separation,　analyzing　their　efficiency,　advantages,　and　disadvantages.　However,　current　research　encounters　several　challenges,　including　low　LA　yield,　low　optical　purity　of　L-(+)-LA,　and　difficulties　in　the　separation　and　purification　of　LA.　The　integration　of　in-situ　separation　technology　coupled　with　multiple　separation　methods　is　highlighted　as　a　promising　direction　for　future　advancements.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd