Essential oils has been utilized as a growth controller of microorganisms. This study was aimed to recognize the composition, antioxidant, antibacterial and time-kill activities of Origanum vulgare, Zataria multiflora, Syzygium aromaticum, Cinnamomum verum essential oils against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and specific spoilage organisms. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the chemical composition of EOs. Disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and time-kill methods were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of EOs. Antioxidant activity of essential oils were determined by DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power methods. All the essential oils exhibited antimicrobial activity against tested organisms, however Zataria multiflora was the most effective. The most sensitive among tested bacteria to Zataria multiflora EO was Escherichia coli O157:H7. Zataria multiflora and Origanum vulgare EOs were able to kill 85% and 80% of the E. coli O157: H7 and Shewanella putrefaciens cells in 4 h, respectively. Antibacterial activity of Zataria multiflora EO was more than Origanum vulgare EO. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in Zataria multiflora EO. The tested EOs showed the highest antioxidant activity at a concentration of 2 g L-1, thus the FRAP value of Zataria multiflora, Origanum vulgare, Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamomum verum was 2.01 ± 0.03, 1.47 ± 0.04, 1.01 ± 0.03 and 0.66 ± 0.34 respectively. High concentrations of all tested essential oils showed decrease in antioxidant activity. The study showed that the application of essential oils were effective in antibacterial and antioxidant activity

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