Extracts of edible plants (26 species) from China, Japan, Thailand and Yemen were screened for their antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella infantis. Buffered methanol (80% methanol and 20% PBS) and acetone extracted inhibitory substances against tested bacteria from 16 plants, as revealed by the disc assay. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of extracts determined by the agar dilution method ranged from 165 to 2640 mg l(-1). The most sensitive microorganism to extracts from Azadirachta indica, Cinnamomum cassia, Rumex nervosus, Ruta graveolens, Thymus serpyllum and Zingiber officinale was B. cereus, with MIC of 165 to 660 mg l(-1). E. coli and S. infantis were only inhibited by Cinnamomum cassia extracts at the highest MIC (2640 mg l(-1)). L. monocytogenes (Tottori) was more resistant than the ATCC 7644 strain to extracts from Ruta chalepensis, Artemisia absinthium and Cissus spp. EDTA (0.85 mM) reduced the MICs of Cinnamomum cassia and Cissus rotundifolia by at least 50% when tested against E. coli, S. infantis, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes.