Non-targeted detection technique has been extensively applied in the food safety and quality in recent years. In general, a non-targeted detection combines analytical approaches,fingerprinting techniques and chemometrics to detect toxicants or foreign components in foods without knowing their chemical structures. The key purpose of non-targeted detection technique is to detect whether the sample is abnormal, without prior knowledge of what caused the abnormality. This manuscript introduces and reviews the current progress and the prospect non-targeted food detection techniques, including chromatographic, mass spectrometric, spectroscopic, cell-based non-targeted detection techniques. Foods and ingredients including milk, Chinese wolfberries, Chinese angelica,oregano, honey, etc., were introduced. The non-targeted detection technique can help the healthy development of food industry and play an important role in protecting public welfare and human wellbeing.