The purpose of the research was to study existing conceptual approach- es in economic science of the interpretation of the categories "food supply" and "food security". The research tasks were to study t conceptual ap- proaches of scientists on the phenomena under study, disclose their content and give the author's interpretation of these categories. Special scientific publications, speeches of experts on round tables, dissertation, monographic and studies on considered perspective formed information base for the scien- tific analysis of two designated phenomena. Information base for scientific analysis of two identified phenomena was provided by special scientific pub- lications, speeches by specialists at the round tables, dissertational, mono- graphic and educational work on the subject matter in question. The for- mation and development of the food supply doctrine is characterized by var- ious interpretations, both of its own concept and of the content of the catego- ry itself. In the study the author made an attempt to show the correlation of the terms "food supply" and "food security", as well as to refine and supple- ment the categories studied. As a result, it is concluded that the concept of "food supply of the population" is a social and economic category, expressed in the government's ability to meet the needs of the population in a safe and high quality foodstuff in sufficient quantities corresponding to rational med- ical standards, allowing each person to carry out full and healthy life activi- ty, taking into account its customs, traditions and interests, and food securi- ty is a political and legal category as its essence is established in interna- tional treaties of the Russian Federation and regulations of the Russian Fed- eration, subjects of the Russian Federation, municipalities.