AimsThe aim of this study was to develop a plantaricin BM-1, a typical IIa bacteriocin produced by Lactocacillus plantarumBM-1, for active polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) films and to determine the antimicrobial effect of plantaricin BM-1 incorporated into a PVDC film on fresh pork during 7days of storage at 4 degrees C. Methods and ResultsPlantaricin BM-1 solutions (20480AUml(-1)) that absorbed into the PVDC film increased gradually and reached maximum volumes during exposure for up to 20h. When soaked in water, the released amount of plantaricin BM-1 from the active PVDC film reached a maximum at 20h. The plantaricin BM-1 active PVDC film had an obvious antilisterial effect in culture medium and fresh pork inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes. Furthermore, plantaricin BM-1-incorporated PVDC film was also significantly (P<001) reduced to aerobic counts of approximately 15 log(10) CFU per g after 7days of storage at 4 degrees C in pork meat, and the pH and total volatile basic nitrogen of pork meat were significantly (P<001, P<005) lower than those of the control. ConclusionPlantaricin BM-1 active film has an excellent effect to prolong the shelf life of pork meat during cold storage. Significance and Impact of the StudyThe results of this study suggest a potential application of bacteriocin active film on meat preservation.