Nisin added at 10 or 100 IU/ml to ultra-high temperature processed (UHT) skim milk had no effect on counts of Listeria monocytogenes after 24 h at 30 degrees C, whereas addition of the lactoperoxidase system (LPS) resulted in counts of viable cells three log units lower than those of control milk after 24 h at 30 degrees C. Addition of nisin and LPS showed a synergistic effect and resulted in counts up to 5.6 log units lower than the control milk. When the two preservatives were added to actively growing cells of L. monocytogenes in two steps with a 2 h interval, their synergistic effect was enhanced. Counts of L. monocytogenes Ohio after 24 h at 30 degrees C in milk with nisin and LPS added together after 3 h of growth were 5.7 log units lower than the control milk. The difference in counts increased to 7.4 log units if LPS was added after 3 h and nisin after 5 h of growth. Similar but less pronounced effects were observed for the more resistant strain L. monocytogenes Scott A.