Instant Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC), derived from the French term Détente Instantanée Contrôlée, is a rapid thermo-mechanical process in which saturated steam is followed by an abrupt pressure release into a vacuum. This sudden pressure change allows part of the internal water to flash into vapour, which can expand the internal structure and facilitate subsequent moisture removal. Because the product is heated for a relatively short period and then cooled rapidly during decompression, DIC has attracted attention as an alternative to prolonged thermal drying treatments. Research has examined DIC for swell drying, extraction, microbial decontamination, reduction of selected antinutritional compounds, and recovery of valuable components from food materials and by products. This review examines the development and operating principle of DIC, the main process variables, equipment requirements, and its effects on drying behaviour, structure, quality, and resource use. Examples involving yam chips, soybean oil extraction, and other food matrices are considered to demonstrate how DIC can be adapted to different processing objectives. The review also considers practical limitations, including equipment cost, process control, and scale up, and identifies areas where DIC could be integrated with other drying and extraction technologies.