Strain CICC 6294 isolated from fermented chili in Xinjiang uygur autonomous region was identified using polyphasic taxonomy technique. After detection of its biological properties such as acid- and salt-resistance, acid production, nitrite degradation, amino acids decarboxylases activity and antimicrobial ability, the strain CICC 6294 was applied in Xinjiang chili fermentation. The strain CICC 6294 was identified as Lactobacillus pentosus. The strain was negative for amino acids decarboxylases, and was able to grow in the medium with 8 g/L NaCl at pH 4. It can inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella. The nitrite was totally degraded after its incubation in improved MRS broth for 30 hours. The security of fermented chili was improved by inoculating strain CICC 6294, because it just resulted to nitrite content of 0.81 mg/kg, bioamine of 3.19 mg/kg, and total acid of 27.6 g/kg.