Objective To prepare a novel carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/acrylate fluorine-free oil-proof agent and apply it to food packaging.Methods The preparation process of the oil-proof agent, which includes CMC, methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), and methacrylic acid (MAA) as raw materials, is optimized through single factor experiments. The chemical structure, particle size, Zeta potential, and film-forming properties of the oil-proof agent are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nanoparticle and Zeta potential analyzer, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oil-proof performance of food packaging paper is evaluated according to dynamic oil contact angles and oil-proof grades.Results Under the optimum conditions (m_MMA:m_BA=4:6, APS dosage of 2.5%, SDS dosage of 10.0%, CMC dosage of 8.0%, and MAA dosage of 4%), the oil-proof agent exhibits an average particle size of 66.64 nm and a Zeta potential of -21.91 mV, demonstrating excellent film-forming properties. When the coating weight is 6.0 g/m², the prepared food packaging paper achieves the highest oil-proof grade (12.0 grade), and possesses good recyclability, with a fiber recovery rate of 94.7%.Conclusion CMC/acrylate oil-proof agent has good oil-proof performance without fluorine, demonstrating broad application prospects in food packaging paper.