Abstract: Plant essential oil is a class of natural bacteriostatic agents that could effectively inhibit numerous meat spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, which has broad application prospects in the meat industry. As a nanoscale embedding system, nanoemulsion is efficient in improving the water solubility, stability and antibacterial activity of essential oil, and has become a research hotspot in the field of meat preservation. In this review, the construction methods (emulsification methods and emulsifiers), basic characteristics (stability and bioavailability) of plant essential oil nanoemulsion are introduced. The antibacterial activity and influencing factors (essential oil types, emulsification methods, emulsifiers, emulsion particle size and microbial species) of plant essential oil nanoemulsion were discussed. And the internal mechanism of plant essential oil nanoemulsion improving the antibacterial activity of pure essential oils through targeted binding, sustained release, and passive transportation were explored. The review may provide a theoretical reference for the further research, development and utilization of plant essential oil nanoemulsions in meat preservation field.