Abstract:Direct analysis in real time （DART）is a new technique for ionizing compounds under atmospheric pressure by non-surface contact type of thermal desorption.It provides a new approach to direct，rapid，and non-destructive in situ analysis by combining with sample pre-treatment and mass spectrometry.This technique is widely used in the detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues，prohibited added ingredients，contact material migration，and biotoxins.The ionisation mechanism of DART was briefly described，and the current status and limitations of DART in the detection of common food contaminants were summarized.Finally，the future development direction of this technique was prospected.