Sterilization is an indispensable part of food processing. This paper discusses the theories and applications of four currently widely used non-thermal sterilization technologies， including dense phase carbon dioxide， electron beam irradiation， pulsed light， and sonodynamic sterilization. Compared with traditional sterilization methods， these four technologies offer advantages in color maintenance， preservation of food flavor and nutrients， economy of energy， enhanced safety， and expense savings. Therefore， the development of new technologies will provide a frame of reference for choosing the most suitable sterilization technique to best maintain the quality of each kind of food.