NIZO is in the forefront of implementing bioinformatic tools for challenges customers deal with. Together with BaseClear, NIZO expert Jos Boekhorst published an article which gives an overview of the use of bioinformatics and data science in industrial microbiome applications, like starter cultures, probiotics, safety, etc. This article gives insights on such challenges by touching upon several industrial areas. Furthermore, the advances and future directions of bioinformatics and data science in microbiome research are explained.