Essential oils from 8 Cuminum cyminum local populations collected in Morocco were investigated for their chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. The chemical composition, investigated by gas chromato-graphic technique, revealed a common fingerprint in all Moroccan samples: twenty-five compounds were identified with-terpinen-7-al being the major component in all samples studied. The antimicrobial activity of cumin essential oils were tested against 10 bacterial strains, belonging to 8 diff erent species, and 6 yeast strains, belonging to 4 species. Lactic acid bacteria showed a good resistance to all essential oil tested while overall the cumin essential oils showed a strong antifungal activity that aff ected both maximum specific growth rate and lag time.