In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial effect of 14 different herbal petal extracts on various foodborne and food spoilage bacteria. Herbal petal extracts were prepared with 70% ethanol followed by sequential hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water fractionation. Antimicrobial activity was highest in the ethanol fraction from roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) petals as determined by the paper disc method. The roselle ethanol extract retarded the growth of food spoilage bacteria in kimbap (rice rolled in dried laver). Foodborne microorganisms (e.g. Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens), on the other hand, were most efficiently inhibited by the ethyl acetate fraction of the roselle petal extract as determined by growth inhibition curves. Our study shows that roselle petals harbor antimicrobial activity against foodborne and food spoilage microorganisms. The critical ingredient is highly enriched in the ethyl acetate fraction of the extract.