Debaryomyces is a genus of hardy yeasts in the class Saccharomycetes, famous for thriving in salt, sugar and low water activity that defeat most microbes. The species Debaryomyces hansenii serves as a starter culture in fermented sausage production and helps build rinds and flavour on surface-ripened cheeses. That same toughness lets it spoil fruit juice concentrates and yoghurt when hygiene slips. Telling its useful roles apart from its spoilage behaviour is a routine task for quality microbiologists. Its salt tolerance also makes it a useful model organism for studying stress resistance in yeasts.