Tea polyphenols find a wide range of applications in food, medical and pharmaceutical fields owing to their multi-health benefits including antioxidant and antibacterial activities, cancer prevention, antiradiation and immune enhancement. However, the low absorption rate of tea polyphenols impedes their bioactivity in vivo. The low absorption and bioavailability have been attributed to their poor stability, passive diffusion, and active efflux in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Nanoparticle delivery system based on chitosan (CS), a natural biomaterial, has been widely applied in pharmaceutical field to enhance absorption of bioactive compounds. A few studies reported the enhanced absorption and bioavailability of tea polyphenols by the application of chitosan nanoparticles. This review describes the fabrication methods and potential benefits of chitosan nanoparticles as delivery systems for tea polyphenols for their enhanced absorption in the GI tract. In addition, challenges and future trends of chitosan nanoparticles as a carrier for oral delivery of tea polyphenols are also discussed. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.