Objective To investigate antimicrobial sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from various food products in Yunnan Province during 2010-2016, in which, distributions of the multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, and the carrier rates of mecA gene were determined for further epidemic control. Methods Antimicrobial sensitivity of the strains was detected by VITEK 2 Compact system with GPI and AST-GP67 cards. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers was used for detection of mecA gene. Results About 92.00%(299/325) of total 325 strains of Staphylococcus aureus were identified drug resistance, and the top three resistance were 88.00%(286/325) for benzylpenicillin, 43.38%(141/325) for tetracycline and 40.92%(133/325) for erythromycin. No strain showed resistant to quinupristin/dalfopristin, vancomycin, linezolid and tigecycline. The strains with MDR and MRSA were accounted for 47.69%(155/325) and 13.23%(43/325) respectively. Significant difference was observed in strains from different food products showing resistant to benzylpenicillin, tetracycline and nitrofurantoin(P< 0.05). The strain with 9 drug-resistant was detected in cooked food, fast-frozen food and meat or meat-products. The strains with MRSA were found in aquatic-products with positive rate of 33.33%(1/3), in meat or meat-products with positive rate of 17.89%(17/95), in baked food with positive rate of 16.67%(3/18), in milk or dairy products with positive rate of 14.29%(3/21), in cooked food with positive rate of 12.41%(17/137), in fast-frozen food with positive rate of 5.71%(2/35). No positive detection was found in infant food, frozen drinks and soy products(P>0.05). Significant difference was found in resistant rate to ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole during 2010-2016 (P<0.05). Some strains isolated in 2012-2015 were identified with 9 drug-resistant. Positive rate of MRSA during 2010 to 2016 was respectively 0.00%(0/15), 10.00%(2/20), 6.82%(3/44), 14.12%(12/85), 16.47%(14/85), 20.00%(12/60) and 0.00%(0/0). In strains with MRSA, 43 were resistant to benzylpenicillin(100.00%,43/43). However, no strain with MRSA was resistant to vanconycin. The carrier rate of mecA gene in all strains was 37.21%(16/43). Conclusion The tendency of antibiotics resistance evolved in Staphylococcus aureus in popular food should be concerned,which would be beneficial to prevent foodborne disease and guide the rational clinical practice for Staphylococcus aureus.