A genus of lactic acid bacteria found in the human gastrointestinal tract and in many foods. Some species contribute to cheese ripening and fermented products, while others are opportunistic pathogens. Enterococcus counts are used as hygiene indicators in food and water analysis. In Mediterranean cheeses and fermented sausages, enterococci generate diacetyl and other aroma compounds during ripening, and some strains are deliberately added as adjunct cultures. However, their capacity for acquiring antibiotic resistance and producing biogenic amines means their presence is a double-edged quality signal requiring species-level assessment.