Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the world, and it has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Recent studies have shown that the dietary emulsifiers carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polysorbate 80 ( P80), which are widely used food additives, can affect the gut microbiota, change the metabolites of intestinal flora, and promote colon inflammation. The current research on CRC indicates that the occurrence and development of CRC are closely related to gut microbiota, intestinal flora metabolites, and inflammation. Therefore, this review focuses on these influencing factors to explore the possibility of whether dietary emulsifiers CMC and P80 promote the occurrence and development of CRC, and it provide references for studying the influences of CMC and P80 on the occurrence and development of CRC.