In this paper， the strain of Bacillus coagulans VP4 with strong antimicrobial activity was screened from Shanxi aged vinegar cupei. After eliminating some interference factors such as organic acids， hydrogen peroxide and hydrolization with proteinase K and trypsin， the antibacterial substance in the culture supernatant was confirmed as proteinaceous and was a kind of bacteriocin. The bacteriocin showed pH value stability in the range of 2-10. Moreover， after being treated at 121 ℃ for 60 min， the antimicrobial activity of VP4 bacteriocin still remained at 70%. Also， the biopreservative effect of VP4 bacteriocin on quality of fresh mutton stored for 15 days at 4 ℃ were investigated based on the microbial， chemical （pH， electric conductivity， total volatile basic nitrogen， thiobarbituric acid）， and sensory evaluation. The results showed that VP4 bacteriocin could retain the good quality and extend the shelf life of mutton during storage at 4 ℃. Bacillus coagulans VP4 bacteriocin has thus shown a great potential as a natural biopreservative substance in chilled meat.