Fruits, vegetables and yeast contain numerous biologically active compounds called "phytonutrients". The phytonutrients can include phenolic compounds, minerals and vitamins. Conventional techniques used to extract these nutrients suffer from several disadvantages. These methods are characterized by poor efficiency of the extraction process, high energy and solvent consumption, long processing times and the formation of thermal decomposition by products. For this reason, scientists together with food engineers are looking for a safe and efficient extraction of bioactive compounds. In recent years, several modern techniques to support the extraction process have been proposed. One of them is the pulsed electric field (PEF). Pulsed electric field is one of the non-thermal methods used to control microbiological safety and change the properties (nutritional, sensory and physicochemical) of food products. The principle of operation of PEF is based on the formation of pores in the cell membrane under the influence of short bursts of electricity, which increases its permeability. Due to the formation of pores, various components, such as ions, molecules and other more complex compounds, such as vitamins or lipids, can flow freely through the cell membrane. The use of PEF for extraction reduces the process time, increases the efficiency of the process and is characterized by a low processing temperature. This review shows the use of a pulsed electric field as a process supporting the extraction of biological compounds from algae, vegetables, fruits and in the brewing industry. The optimal conditions of the pulsed electric field, which may affect the extraction efficiency, e.g. electric field strength, number of pulses and pulse width, are also discussed. Based on the collected literature data, it was found that the pulsed electric field contributes to the increase of the extraction efficiency