Though　essential　oils　exhibit　antibacterial　activity　against　food　pathogens,　their　underlying　mechanism　is　understudied.　We　extracted　ginger　essential　oil　(GEO)　using　supercritical　CO2　and　steam　distillation.　A　chemical　composition　comparison　by　GC-MS　showed　that　the　main　components　of　the　extracted　GEOs　were　zingiberene　and　α-curcumene.　Their　antibacterial　activity　and　associated　mechanism　against　Staphylococcus　aureus　and　Escherichia　coli　were　investigated.　The　diameter　of　inhibition　zone　(DIZ)　of　GEO　against　S.　aureus　was　17.1　mm,　with　a　minimum　inhibition　concentration　(MIC)　of　1.0　mg/mL,　and　minimum　bactericide　concentration　(MBC)　of　2.0　mg/mL.　For　E.　coli,　the　DIZ　was　12.3　mm　with　MIC　and　MBC　values　of　2.0　mg/mL　and　4.0　mg/mL,　respectively.　The　SDS-PAGE　analysis　revealed　that　some　of　the　electrophoretic　bacterial　cell　proteins　bands　disappeared　with　the　increase　in　GEO　concentration.　Consequently,　the　nucleic　acids　content　of　bacterial　suspension　was　raised　significantly　and　the　metabolic　activity　of　bacteria　was　markedly　decreased.　GEO　could　thus　inhibit　the　expression　of　some　genes　linked　to　bacterial　energy　metabolism,　tricarboxylic　acid　cycle,　cell　membrane-related　proteins,　and　DNA　metabolism.　Our　findings　speculate　the　bactericidal　effects　of　GEO　primarily　through　disruption　of　the　bacterial　cell　membrane　indicating　its　suitability　in　food　perseveration.　©　2020　by　the　authors.