Food technology is a crucial branch of food science that focuses on the production, preservation, quality control, and research and development of food products, ultimately ensuring global food security and access to safe, high-quality sustenance. Its foundations were significantly shaped by Nicolas Appert's pioneering development of the canning process in 1810, which revolutionized food preservation. Later, Louis Pasteur's 1864 research into food spoilage led to the invention of pasteurization and established him as a pioneer in bacteriology and preventive medicine.

Since these early breakthroughs, food technology has introduced numerous transformative developments, including instantized milk powder, freeze-drying for products like coffee, aseptic packaging for shelf-stable goods, and food irradiation for enhanced safety and extended shelf life. These innovations have dramatically improved the efficiency, safety, and variety of our food supply, optimizing production methods and making advanced processes commonplace. Today, the field encompasses a wide range of categories, from agricultural technology (AgTech) that boosts yield, to developing new functional ingredients in food science, and modernizing foodservice operations to meet evolving consumer demands.