Flora Vitalis PhD, food engineer and researcher, specialised in food preservation technologies and process design. Her work focuses on developing advanced measurement protocols and chemometric models using near infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral image processing and multisensorial analysis for predicting fruit variety, ripeness and key quality attributes, as well as the early detection of spoilage and food adulteration. Recently, Flora’s interest turned to the holistic modelling of food shelf life. In framing her projects, she addresses real-world challenges, fosters collaborations and presents her findings in scientific, professional and public forums. Her research journey has taken her to Kobe University (Japan) and University of Innsbruck (Austria) as a visiting researcher.