The present invention provides an antimicrobial composition comprising an antimicrobial effective amount (such as a preservative, bactericidal, and/or fungicidal effective amount) of a mixture comprising at least two of: (a) lemon grass oil; (b) cinnamaldehyde, cinnamon oil, Cinnamomum cassia, cinnamon extract, cassia leaf oil, 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid or salt thereof, or a mixture thereof; (c) sorbic acid, or a salt thereof; (d) erythorbic acid, or a salt thereof; (e) benzoic acid, or a salt thereof; (f) arabinogalactan, galactoarabinan, or a mixture thereof; (g) a hexahydro-iso-alpha-acid, tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acid, or a mixture thereof; (h) Achillea fragrantissima (Santolina fragrantissima Forssk., lavender cotton) oil; and (i) .delta.-gluconolactone. The present invention also provides a product (preferably a product other than a foodstuff, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic) comprising a preservative effective amount of cinnamaldehyde or a mixture of cinnamaldehyde and one or more alkanol-dialkyl hydantoins.