Geotrichum candidum is a fungus which is a member of the human microbiome, notably associated with skin, sputum, and faeces where it occurs in 25–30% of specimens.

[6] The genus Geotrichum was described by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link in 1809 to accommodate the species G. candidum found on decaying leaves.

Species of Geotrichum are occasionally mistaken for fast growing members of the genus Dipodascus, which are characterized by irregularly branched, 10–14 μm wide hyphae and the production of single-spored asci.

However, unlike Geotrichum, members of the genus Dipodascus lack dichotomous branching of the peripheral hyphae and their growth rates are generally less than 3 mm per day.

[9] G. candidum colonies are thin, spreading, soft, creamy and white in the anamorph state.

[1] Conidia appear arthrosporous, terminal or intercalary, aerial on an agar surface.

Microscopically, the growth is characterized by the production of dichotomously branched hyphae that resemble tuning forks along the colony margin.

The fungus grows in soil, water, sewage, various plant substrates, baker's dough, husks of fermentation, bread, milk and milk products[1] The optimal temperature for growth is 25 °C (77 °F) with a pH range of 5.0–5.5.

[1][12] Fungal growth can be supported by D-glucose, D-mannose, D-xylose, L-sorbose, D-fructose, D-galactose, sucrose, D-mannitol, D-sorbital, ethanol and glycerol.

[1] G. candidum is extremely common in soil and has been isolated from substrates in Canada, United States, Britain, Germany, Austria, India, South Africa, Japan, Brazil and Peru.

[8] Lipases and proteases from G. candidum release fatty acids and peptides that provide the cheese with distinctive flavors.

G. candidum reduces the bitterness in Camembert cheese through the activity of the aminopeptidases that hydrolyze low molecular weight hydrophobic peptides.