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<h2><strong>Background: </strong>Essential oils and their major constituents are useful sources of antimicrobial compounds. There are a few reports on the decontamination and antimicrobial activity of essential oils towards <em>Shigella </em>spp.</h2><p><strong>M</strong><strong>aterials and Methods: </strong>In this study, the antimicrobial and decontamination potentials of essential oils at different concentrations, belonging to plants such as <em>Thymus vulgaris, Saturiea hortensis, Mentha polegium, Cuminum cyminum, Lavandula officinalis </em>and<em> Mentha viridis L. (spearmint), </em>towards <em>Shigella sonnei</em> and <em>Shigella  flexneri</em> were investigated. The disk diffusion method demonstrated the antimicrobial potential of the essential oils.</p><p><strong>R</strong><strong>es</strong><strong>ults: </strong>The ability of essential oils to decontaminate vegetables such as, tomato, red cabbage, carrot, fresh parsley and fresh green onion that were previously inoculated with <em>Shigella</em> spp. was determined. Inhibitory effects of essential oils towards <em>Shigella</em> spp. were noted in the disk diffusion method. There was a reduction in <em>Shigella</em> population following inoculation of cultures with 0.5% and 0.1% (v/v) essential oils.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study confirmed that essential oils have the potential to be used for decontamination of vegetables.</p>