Protective cultures for preserving food and animal feed that can be stored for limited periods by chilling comprising non-pathogenic lactic acid bacteria, is new. Protective cultures for preserving food and animal feed that can be stored for limited periods by chilling comprise non-pathogenic lactic acid bacteria, in which: (a) the bacteria have no metabolic activity below 7-8 [deg]C detectable by the senses; (b) the number with potential metabolic activity in 1-2 weeks below 7-8 [deg]C is less than 10 2>; and (c) the bacteria inhibit the growth of toxinogenic and/or toxi-infectious bacteria at not less than 7-8 [deg]C. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) lactic acid bacteria of the Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis 1526 (DSM 12145) strain; and (2) food and animal feed containing the protective cultures.