The lactoperoxidase (LP) system is a natural antimicrobial system, the use of which has been suggested as a preservative in foods and pharmaceuticals. The effect of adding iodide to the LP system, the chemical stability and the change in antimicrobial effectiveness during storage was studied. Addition of iodide with thiocyanate increased the fungicidal and bactericidal effect against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the same inhibition in the LP system with iodide and without iodide. Storage of the LP system in completely filled airtight containers for 18 months caused a 35% loss of the initial thiocyanate concentration. The antimicrobial activity of this LP system was strong enough to kill inocula of 10(6) cfu ml(-1) of the four test organisms within 2 h of contact time. During storage of the air-containing LP system, the concentration of thiocyanate was reduced below detection limit within 7 d, the concentrations of hypothiocyanite and hypoiodite within 350 d. After 516 d the antimicrobial activity of air-containing LP system was strong enough to kill inocula of 10(6) cfu ml(-1) Ps. aeruginosa within 2 h, Staph. aureus within 4 h and Candida albicans and E. coli within 1 week of contact time.