From discovery to application: twenty years of Meyerozyma caribbica

Over the past two decades, Meyerozyma caribbica has been identified as a metabolically versatile and ecologically adaptable yeast with significant relevance to biotechnology, agriculture, environmental remediation, and food applications. Since its formal description in 2005, this species has demonstrated the ability to grow on a wide range of substrates and under various stress conditions, facilitating the production of valuable bioproducts such as ethanol, xylitol, arabitol, and volatile aroma compounds. Multiple strains efficiently ferment lignocellulosic hydrolysates, tolerate inhibitory compounds, and remain active at elevated temperatures, which supports their application in integrated biorefineries. In addition to its fermentative capabilities, M. caribbica serves as an effective biocontrol agent through the production of antifungal metabolites, hydrolytic enzymes, mycoparasitism, nutrient competition, and the induction of plant defense responses. Environmental functions include the degradation of dyes, hydrocarbons, and organochlorine pesticides, as well as metal biosorption and the mitigation of oxidative stress in plants. There is also increasing interest in its potential as a probiotic and as a starter culture that can modulate sensory attributes in fermented foods. This review synthesizes 20 years of research on M. caribbica, focusing on its roles in bioproduct production, plant disease management, bioremediation, and probiotic or food-related applications.