The most useful way to solve the food waste problem is simply producing less waste from the food that is being produced. It is always easier said than done, so to that end, our group is researching new ways to extend and manage food shelf life. We are looking mainly to study the way food is spoiled, and to do that by using advanced ‘omic’ tools to find new bio-indicators and new bio-preservatives for shelf-life extension. We are also interested in finding novel ways for end consumers to evaluate by themselves the freshness of their food. This will be done by studying the bio-volatomics (multiple volatile compounds produced during the food “life cycle” by microorganisms) of different representative types of food. We are using an advanced simulation system that can monitor in real time the volatile profile of a given food sample surrounding while we are controlling closely the food storage environmental conditions.