Enterococci are lactic acid bacteria that have been used for centuries in food processing. These microorganisms play a vital role in conservation (extension of shelf life) and in the bacteriological quality of food while keeping their nutritional and organoleptic properties. However, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis are indicators of faecal contamination and are also implicated in nosocomial diseases. The genetic plasticity (transfer of genetic elements) of these bacteria allows them not only to adapt to various ecosystems, but also to be vehicles of antibiotic resistances and bacterial virulence, which is of public health concern. Thus, the use of enterococci in the food industry is becoming controversial. However, enterococci are also involved in the fermentation of many foods (milk, vegetables, meats or fish) and are able to produce various antimicrobial molecules (e.g. lactic acid, bacteriocins or hydrogen peroxide) that make them indispensable in the food industry. Their use as probiotic must therefore be carefully characterized in order to prove their safety. The wide range of bacteriocins (enterocins) found in these bacteria could also be valorized by developing purification methods to replace the bacterial strains themselves by their enterocins in foodstuffs, therefore eliminating the risk of direct use of bacteria.