<p>In recent years, the waste and environmental pollution generated during traditional sweet potato food processing have attracted widespread attention, driving the industry towards a more sustainable model. This transformation includes emerging technologies in food processing stages such as sweet potato starch extraction and modification, as well as the high-value utilization of by-products (vines, leaves, residues, and wastewater, etc.), aiming to achieve sustainable development throughout the entire process. However, there are no comprehensive reviews integrating these innovative strategies and biorefinery across the entire sweet potato food processing chain. This study summarizes the modification methods of sweet potato starch in the food industry and reviews innovative extraction strategies for extracting food-grade bioactive components from various by-products and residues. Furthermore, this paper explores the specific utilization pathways of sweet potato processing by-products in the food industry and proposes potential biorefinery strategies to achieve low-waste within the current trends of the circular bioeconomy. Moreover, this paper emphasizes the link between sweet potato green processing strategies and the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). This work constructs a prospect framework for promoting the green transformation of the sweet potato food processing industry, enhancing the food-grade high-value utilization of by-products and residues, and contributing to the achievement of multiple SDGs.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>