The yeast population dynamics in olive wastewaters (OMW), sampled in five mills from Salento (Apulia, Southern Italy), were investigated. Three hundred yeasts were isolated in five industrial mills and identified by molecular analysis. Strains belonging to Geotrichum, Saccharomyces, Pichia, Rhodotorula and Candida were detected. Five G. candidum strains were able to grow in OMW as the sole carbon source and to reduce phenolics, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and antimicrobial compounds. One G. candidum isolate was selected for whole-cell immobilization in calcium alginate gel. The COD and phenolic reduction obtained with immobilized cells showed a 2.2- and 2-fold increase compared to the removal obtained with free cells, respectively. The immobilization system enhanced yeast oxidative activity by avoiding the presence of microbial protease in treated OMW. To our knowledge, this is the first report on G. candidum whole-cell immobilization for OMW bioremediation. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.