Efforts to find a suitable sparing agent for nitrite in cured meat products have brought sodium hypophosphite (SHP) to the attention of the scientific community. Hypophosphites were introduced in the mid 1800s as a cure for tuberculosis, but recent reports have suggested SHP could possess antibotulinal and antimicrobial properties. Sodium hypophosphite has good potential as an antimicrobial food ingredient and it is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). This review summarizes SHP chemistry, history, toxicology, regulatory status, applications, and antimicrobial properties.