Geotrichum candidum is a yeast-like fungus used as ripening starter in cheese making. The present study focused on chemical stress pretreatments affecting survival of G. candidum ATCC 204307 to freeze-thaw stress. Cryotolerance of G. candidum cells was induced by pretreatment with NaCl, CaCl2, or MgCl2, indicating heterologous phenotypic adaptation to freeze-thaw stress (- 20 to 25 degrees C) by osmotic stress. Furthermore, the nystatin, an antifungal compound, was shown to be a cryotolerance inducer.