Compounds are used in compositions as antimicrobial agents against microbes, such as for example, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Antimicrobial action is obtained by contact of a microorganism with at least one of the compounds of the structure (I) wherein R is a branched or straight chain, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group with zero or one double bond and a total of from 1 to 11 carbon atoms R1 is —OH, =0 or —OC(0)CH3 and wherein the compounds of structure (I) contain a total of from 9 to 18 carbon atoms in the compounds.
