Essential oils,categorized as GRAS,are considered much safer than chemical materials.During the food preservation,application of essential oils can reduce the negative influence on food caused by chemical antimicrobial agents.Essential oil vapors have inhibition activities against a number of bacterias,fungi and yeasts strains without direct contact with foods.The main active compositions of essential oil vapor are monoterpenes and aldehydes.The mode of action may be their hydrophobic effects on the cells.Furthermore,combinations of essential oil vapors and food packaging can improve the discolouration and aroma caused by the vapor while having the antimicrobial effects on food.Negative air ions not only improve the essential oil vapor's antimicrobial efficiency,but at high concentration it can also inhibit the activity of microbials.Thus,the combination of essential oil and NAI will exhibit remarkable antimicrobial effects and has minimal impacts on food quality during storage.