Fermented foods production started thousands of years ago and comprised a wide variety of products from different cultures and countries. The discovery of fermented foods is considered an empirical process based on human observation and experimentation of food types susceptible to natural biochemical and microbiological effects. Given the historical miscegenation of Brazilian people, the country has rich cultural diversity and a complex mix of ethnicities, religions and culinary traditions, among others. Thus, the current review aims at presenting the main cultural, microbiological and technological aspects of different types of fermented foods and beverages produced and consumed in Brazil, such as traditional artisanal cheeses, fermented meat (socol and charqui), non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beverages (aluá, calugi, tarubá and yakupá), alcoholic beverages (cachaça, tiquira, caiçuma, cauim and caxiri) and fermented foods based on cassava (puba, farinha d'água, polvilho azedo and tucupi).

The use of yeasts as starter cultures was boosted with the emergence of large-scale fermentations in the 20th century. Since then, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been the most common and widely used microorganism in the food industry. However, Candida species have also been used as an adjuvant in cheese production or as starters for coffee, cocoa, vegetable, meat, beer, and wine fermentations. A thorough screening of candidate Candida is sometimes performed to obtain the best performing strains to enhance specific features. Some commonly selected species include C. pulcherrima (teleomorph Metschnikowia pulcherrima) (wine), C. parapsilosis (teleomorph Monilia parapsilosis) (coffee), C. famata (teleomorph Debaryomyces hansenii) (cheese), and C. zeylanoides (teleomorph Kurtzmaniella zeylanoides) and C. norvegensis (teleomorph Pichia norvegensis) (cocoa). These species are associated with the production of key metabolites (food aroma formation) and different enzymes. However, safety-associated selection criteria are often neglected. It is widely known that some Candida species are opportunistic human pathogens, with important clinical relevance. Here, the physiology and metabolism of Candida species are addressed, initially emphasizing their clinical aspects and potential pathogenicity. Then, Candida species used in food fermentations and their functional roles are reported. We recommended that Candida not be used as food cultures if safety assessments are not performed. Some safety features are highlighted to help researchers choose methods and selection criteria.

Artisanal cheeses are prepared using traditional methods with territorial, regional and cultural linkages. In Brazil, there is a great diversity of artisanal cheeses (BAC), which have historical, socioeconomic and cultural importance. The diversity of the BAC between producing regions is due to the different compositions of raw milk, the steps involved in the process and the maturation time. The crucial step for cheese differentiation is the non-addition of starter cultures, i.e., spontaneous fermentation, which relies on the indigenous microbiota present in the raw material or from the environment. Therefore, each BAC-producing region has a characteristic endogenous microbiota, composed mainly of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These bacteria are responsible for the technological, sensory and safety characteristics of the BAC. In this review, the biotechnological applications of the LAB isolated from different BAC were evidenced, including proteolytic, lipolytic, antimicrobial and probiotic activities. In addition, challenges and opportunities in this field are highlighted, because there are knowledge gaps related to artisanal cheese-producing regions, as well as the biotechnological potential. Thus, this review may provide new insights into the biotechnological applications of LAB and guide further research for the cheese-making process.