Microscopy is widely used to investigate the relationship between the structure and the physical or functional properties of food materials. However, food materials are often very fragile and are difficult to examine by conventional microscopy techniques without changing the internal structure in some way. Modern rapid freezing techniques can be used to preserve chemical and structural components of food materials before examination by low-temperature electron microscopy. Furthermore, the use of X-ray microanalysis in conjunction with electron microscopy permits meaningful elemental analyses of selected structures. The technology for examining foods in this way is now becoming well established.