Some condiments used as seasonings and flavoring agents Instigate the interest of the food industry due to the antimicrobial activity of their essential oils. They can be used as an alternative or in conjunction with chemical additives in food preservation. This study evaluated the essential oils of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), basil (Ocimum basilicum) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) against the food pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus Cereus. The agar diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial activity, evaluating concentrations of 0.5 to 4% of each essential oil. All assays were conducted in triplicate and with three repetition times. For basil oil, the inhibition halos found were: S. aureus at concentrations of 2.5% to 4%, E. coli of 0.5 to 4%, B. cereus of 1.5 to 4% and Salmonella sp, from 1 to 4%. In relation to rosemary oil, halos were detected for B. cereus at concentrations of 2.5 to 4%. As for black pepper oil, inhibition halos were obtained for Salmonella sp on concentrations of 3.5 and 4%. None of the tested oils inhibited P. aeruginosa. Given the results found, it was observed that basil essential oil has a great potential for inhibition of various food pathogens and to be used as a preservative in the food industry.