PURPOSE: To obtain a preservative for foods suitable for KAMABOKO (boiled fish paste), having strongly antimicrobial action even with a small amount, low toxicity, exerting no bad influence upon taste, fragrance, etc., of foods by combining lysozyme with gallic acid, phytic acid or betaine and -polylysine.

CONSTITUTION: Lysozyme is combined with gallic acid, one or more of phytic acid and betaine and -polylysine (preferably one obtained by cultivating a bacterium belonging to the genus Streptomyces, capable of producing polylysine, separating and collecting polylysine from the prepared culture mixture) to give a preservative for foods.