Abstract: In the process of food fermentation, the change of microbial community has an important influence on the quality and safety of fermented food. In food fermentation, using modern biotechnology to analyze the types and characteristics of microorganisms, as well as studying the interaction between microorganisms to develop the application of compound microbial inoculums, can give food diversified flavor and improve the stability of industrial production. In this paper, recent domestic and foreign research relating to the design and process optimization of compound microbial inoculums, and application in the fermentation of traditional foods and aquatic products are summarized. The development prospect of food fermentation in fermentation foods are forecasted.