Plantaricin LC74, a bacteriocin produced during the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum LC74 isolated from crude goat’s milk, inhibited some other mesophilic lactobacilli. It was sensitive,to high temperature (95 degrees C) but was relatively stable at 30 degrees C in acidic conditions, and also in the presence of various organic solvents, several detergents, urea or beta-mercaptoethanol. It was destroyed by proteases. By ultrafiltration plantaricin LC74 showed an apparent molecular mass smaller than 5 kDa. Plantaricin LC74 bounded non specifically to both sensitive ant resistant Gram-positive bacteria and displayed a bacteriostatic effect. Its partial purification was obtained by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by cationic exchange chromatography and hydrophobic interaction chromatography.