The aim of this work was to investigate the antibacterial activity of flavonoid and nonflavonoid phenolic compound combinations and the synergistic antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli ATCC 35218. In nutrient medium, the combinations of gallic and protocatechuic acids, gallic and caffeic acids, and rutin and quercetin were the best antibacterial agents, with synergistic effects, and were selected to test their activity in a meat model system. All combinations diminished the bacterial growth, without cellular death at 20 degrees C. The combinations of gallic and caffeic acids and rutin and quercetin were the most effective at 4 degrees C; no viable cells were detected with 100 or 200 mg/L at 21 or 14 days of incubations, respectively. The lowest decimal reduction times were found with the rutin-quercetin combination. These results demonstrate a synergistic effect of the selected combination of flavonoid or nonflavonoid compounds with an important antibacterial effect in meat, using low concentrations.