Spectral imaging technologies have been developed rapidly during the past decade. This paper presents hyperspectral and multispectral imaging technologies in the area of food safety and quality evaluation, with an introduction, demonstration, and summarization of current spectral imaging techniques available to the food industry for practical commercial use. The main topics include methods for acquiring spectral images, components for building spectral imaging systems, methods for calibrating spectral imaging systems, and techniques for analyzing spectral images. The applications for evaluating food and agricultural products are presented to reflect common practices of the spectral imaging techniques. Future development of hyperspectral and multispectral imaging is also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.