A critical review of the occurrence of 3-chloro-propane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) in foods not known to contain hydrolysed vegetable proteins is presented. The review covers the properties and chemistry of 3-MCPD and the current methods of analysis in foodstuffs. The results of UK surveys of 3-MCPD occurrence in both retail foods and commercial food ingredients are discussed with particular reference to cereal, meat and dairy products. The possible mechanisms for the formation and decay of 3-MCPD in foods are suggested. The review does not cover the detailed toxicology of 3-MCPD and its occurrence in hydrolysed vegetable proteins, which have been considered elsewhere, nor possible issues such as in-vivo formation.