'Love and Hip Hop Atlanta' -- Beef Up the Security ... Decrease the Ratchet

"Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" producers are making cutbacks on bloodshed by increasing security during shoots, and Lil Scrappy can testify ... it's already saved him from brawling with a FEMALE co-star.

Sources close to production tell TMZ ... Scrappy and a new cast member named Erica Pinkett had to be separated by the new security force after she threw wine in his face during a dinner this week.

We're told producers have added security -- it's now one guard for every cast member --- on all shoots to keep things from getting "too ratchet."

We're also told it isn't just cast-on-cast violence they're guarding against ... it's also civilians trying to attack the show's stars.

As one cast member put it ... "That s*** gets ratchet and now the bodyguards shutting that s*** down."