[3] Brevibacterium linens is ubiquitously present on the human skin, where it causes foot odor.

The familiar odor is due to sulfur-containing compounds known as S-methyl thioesters.

The same bacterium is employed to ferment several washed-rind and smear-ripened cheeses, such as Munster, Limburger, Tilsit cheese, Port-Salut, Raclette, Livarot, Pont l'Eveque, Époisses, Wisconsin Brick, Năsal, and Pálpusztai.

It is also used in the production of blue cheese, in addition to the mold Penicillium roqueforti.

[4] The first comprehensive proteomic reference map of B. linens was published in 2013.