Use of an alkyl glycoside or a mixture of at least two alkyl glycosides as an agent to inhibit microbial growth, preferably in a cosmetic composition or food composition or for preparing a pharmaceutical composition, is claimed. Use of an alkyl glycoside or a mixture of at least two alkyl glycosides as an agent to inhibit microbial growth, preferably in a cosmetic composition or food composition or for preparing a pharmaceutical composition, in which the alkyl glycoside is of formula ((S 1)-O-R) (I), is claimed. S 1a sugar unit or an oligosaccharide comprising a sequence of 2-8 identical or different sugar units, where the sugar unit is a reducing sugar of pentose or hexose type or its derivative; and R : 1-24C alkyl. An independent claim is included for a cosmetic, pharmaceutical or food composition comprising a mixture of two alkyl glycosides comprising mixtures comprising at least one compound comprising alkyl glycoside of formula ((S 1)-O-R 1) (II), mixtures comprising at least one compound comprising alk
