Food technology is a controlled attempt to preserve, transform, create or destroy a structure that has been imparted by nature or processing. Nowadays food scientists and food engineers have many microscopy and imaging techniques available to probe into the structure of food and rationally design processes that enhance the quality of products. Image analysis and image processing provides the needed quantitative data for the analysis and design of food microstructure. This article discusses how food structure is related to nutrition. chemical and microbiological stability, texture and physical properties, transport properties and product engineering. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.