Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) formed in cholesterol-containingfoods during heating or illumination have been found to impart a potential hazard tohealth. Numerous studies have indicated that COPs may have several adversebiological effects, such as mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, angiotoxicity, cytotoxicity,atherogenicity, atherosclerosis, cell membrane damage and inhibition of cholesterolbiosynthesis. Therefore, the safety of COPs has become a major concern for thepublic. This paper is an overview of analysis, formation and inhibition of COPs infoods. COPs are routinely extracted by organic solvents, followed by saponificationand solid phase extraction for enrichment of COPs, and separation and identificationby thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The identification andquantification of COPs using the GC-MS technique was found to be rapid andsensitive, however, the formation of artifacts is a major drawback. The HPLC methodfailed to resolve several geometrical isomers, and double bond-free COPs such asisomeric 5,6-epoxides and triol could not be detected with UV. The oxidation ofcholesterol can be accelerated by heating, pH, storage conditions, the presence of foodcomponents and other factors. Several COPs are commonly present in food systems,including 7α-OH, 7β-OH, 5,6α-EP, 5,6β-EP, 7-keto, 20α-OH, 25-OH and triol.Of these COPs, 5,6α-EP, 5,6β-EP, 7-keto, 20α-OH and 25-OH are primaryoxidation products, while 7α-OH, 7β-OH and triol are secondary products. Someantioxidants have been found to reduce the formation of COPs in an appropriateconcentration. Also, adequate packaging is necessary to provide a physical barrier forair and light, and thus minimize cholesterol oxidation. Further research is necessary tostudy how to inhibit COPs formation in foods.