The article deals with a comparative analysis of the content of such terms as competency, competence and professional competency of technicians in food technology. Special attention has been given to domestic and foreign scholars' research findings on the matter in order to consider the genesis of the term "competency" and its spreading within Ukrainian and foreign pedagogy. Based on the comparison of European standards and the educational and qualification-based specification of technicians in food technology, we have shown the interdependence of the content between such terms as competency, professional competency and professional competency of technicians in food technology. In the content of such term as professional competency we have distinguished separate competences according to the production functions and typical tasks within professional activity of future technicians in food technology. We have revealed the significance of core competences in the structure of professional competency of future specialists in food technology.