Probiotic Bacillus strains are increasingly recognized as effective fermentation agents in food production, offering advantages over traditional strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These strains produce proteases, lipases, and antifungal lipopeptides, enhancing flavor, nutrition, and safety of fermented foods. They are widely present in solid-state fermented foods and can improve fermentation efficiency, shorten processing times, and reduce salt content. Probiotic Bacillus strains, such as B. subtilis, B. coagulans, and B. velezensis, are underutilized in food fermentation but show great potential for next-generation probiotic applications. They contribute to the development of new fermented foods and the integration of ancient fermentation techniques with modern technology. However, their use requires thorough safety assessments to ensure they do not produce harmful metabolites or antibiotic resistance. Research is needed to fully understand their probiotic properties, microbial interactions, and metabolic pathways in traditional fermented foods. Future studies should focus on exploring microbial diversity, utilizing multi-omics technologies, and developing intelligent fermentation processes to enhance food quality and safety. Probiotic Bacillus strains offer promising opportunities for the food industry, but challenges related to safety, regulation, and standardization must be addressed.Probiotic Bacillus strains are increasingly recognized as effective fermentation agents in food production, offering advantages over traditional strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These strains produce proteases, lipases, and antifungal lipopeptides, enhancing flavor, nutrition, and safety of fermented foods. They are widely present in solid-state fermented foods and can improve fermentation efficiency, shorten processing times, and reduce salt content. Probiotic Bacillus strains, such as B. subtilis, B. coagulans, and B. velezensis, are underutilized in food fermentation but show great potential for next-generation probiotic applications. They contribute to the development of new fermented foods and the integration of ancient fermentation techniques with modern technology. However, their use requires thorough safety assessments to ensure they do not produce harmful metabolites or antibiotic resistance. Research is needed to fully understand their probiotic properties, microbial interactions, and metabolic pathways in traditional fermented foods. Future studies should focus on exploring microbial diversity, utilizing multi-omics technologies, and developing intelligent fermentation processes to enhance food quality and safety. Probiotic Bacillus strains offer promising opportunities for the food industry, but challenges related to safety, regulation, and standardization must be addressed.