This review outlined the principle and development of mathematical model based on the theory of heat and mass transfer in porous media. The research emphasis and its progress of mathematical model in the development and application were analyzed from the aspects of evaporation description, parameter determination and definite conditions and so on. Thereafter, an introduction of the advantages and disadvantages of the porous media mathematical model which applied in food thermal processing were given. Moreover, the development prospects of porous media mathematical model applied to fluid-particles food thermal processing were also summarized，which provided a reference for the numerical simulation research of fluid-particles food thermal processing in China.