Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were a class of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial products and consumer products. Due to their structural diversity and bioaccumulation properties, PFASs were recognized as highly concerned persistent pollutants. PFASs in food contact paper could contaminate food and endanger consumer health. There were various categories of PFASs, usually divided into polymers and non-polymers categories. Non-polymeric PFASs included perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and their precursors, while polymeric PFASs were mainly perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) and fluoropolymers polymerized by multiple PFASs. According to the number of carbon atoms in the fluorine segment structure, PFASs were divided into long-chain PFASs with more than 7 carbon atoms and short-chain PFASs. Among them, common perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were long-chain PFAAs, which were the key substances in research and regulatory supervision. In food contact paper, PFASs came from a wide range of sources, which were not only intentionally added through impregnation, sizing, or coating to improve the performance of paper products but also unintentional addition caused by manufacturing process residues or external environmental pollution. Pollution was common in various types of paper products. Although some traditional PFASs were under control, new PFASs and their precursors were still being detected, and the degree of pollution in different countries and regions was affected by regulatory efforts. In terms of dietary exposure, PFASs in food contact paper could migrate to food and enter the human body through dietary intake. Migration was affected by temperature, time, and food properties. The risks of using fast food paper at high temperatures should be closely monitored.Many countries and regions have implemented controls on PFASs, with different limit requirements. China also prohibited the production, processing, and use of some PFASs and adopted forward inventory management. Detection technologies included quantitative analysis of targeted PFASs, fluorine content screening, and non-targeted analysis of unknown PFASs. In the future, research on PFASs in food contact paper should focus on comprehensive assessment, combining multiple analytical methods, and tracing the source, distribution and toxicity hazards of unknown PFASs to improve regulatory regulations.