The imidazoquinoline type(IQ-type)is recognized as the most mutagenic activity in heterocyclic amines currently,and closely associated with a variety of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases of human.The precursors of IQ-type HAs are free amino acids,reducing sugars,and creatine/creatinine,and these precursors can undergo a series of chemical reactions at high temperature,and intermediate products such as free radicals and reactive carbonyl compounds are formed,which are the basis for the formation of IQ-type HAs.The exogenous substances added to the meat products during the thermal processing affected the IQ-type HAs formation to varying degrees.There are three main action mechanisms of the exogenous substances inhibiting IQ-type HAs,including competitive inhibition mechanism of precursors,free radical scavenging mechanisms,and active carbonyl compounds capturing mechanism.This article focuses on the formation process of IQ-type HAs and the inhibitory mechanism of exogenous substances,and clarified the reaction pathway of IQ-type HAs generation,and elaborated the action mechanism of exogenous substances inhibiting the formation of IQ-type HAs in detail.This paper provides theoretical guidance for effectively controlling the IQ-type HAs formation during the thermal processing of meat products.