Fish　skin　gelatin　films　incorporated　with　various　concentrations　of　cinnamon　essential　oil　(CEO)were　prepared　and　characterized.　The　results　showed　that　tensile　strength　(TS),　elongation　at　break　(EAB),　and　water　content　(WC)of　the　gelatin　based　film　decreased　with　the　increasing　concentrations　of　CEO,　but　water　vapor　permeability　(WVP)increased.　Addition　of　CEO　improved　light　barrier　property　of　the　film.　The　Scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM)showed　that　the　heterogeneous　surface　and　porous　formation　appeared　in　gelatin-CEO　films.　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　analyses　(FTIR-ATR)spectra　indicated　the　interactions　existed　between　gelatin　and　CEO.　The　gelatin-CEO　films　exhibited　good　inhibitory　effects　against　the　tested　microorganisms　(Escherichia　coli,　Staphylococcus　aureus,　Aspergillus　niger,　Rhizopus　oryzae,　and　Paecilomyces　varioti)and　their　antifungal　activity　seemed　to　be　more　effective　than　the　resistance　to　bacterial　growth.　In　vitro　release　studies　showed　an　initial　burst　effect　of　CEO　release　and　that　subsequently　slowed　down　at　40　°C,　but　the　initial　burst　release　was　not　obvious　at　4　°C.　The　obtained　results　suggested　that　incorporation　of　CEO　as　a　natural　antimicrobial　agent　into　gelatin　film　has　potential　for　developing　as　active　food　packaging.　©　2017