The present study delineates antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of aqueous extracts of peels of Citrus sinensis (orange), Citrus limon (lemon) and Citrus maxima (pummelo), individually or in binary combinations, for efficient combat against detrimental principles like free radicals and microbes. The antioxidant assays performed were DPPH radical decolorization assay, ferric reducing antioxidant potential assay, hydroxyl radical scavenging assay and estimation of bioactive principles like total polyphenols and ascorbic acid. Antimicrobial activities were done against common food borne pathogens like Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The major conclusions arising out from the study was that orange peel extract showed most promising activity in the experimental parameters. Orange peel, in combination with the pummelo peel, showed the most effectual activity amongst the binary combinations. The study also indicated that both hydrogen atom and electron transfer occur during the antioxidant activity of the binary combination of orange and pummelo peel extract, which delivered its’ most potent activity. Although ascorbic acid one of the most important bioactives of citrus species, it did not play crucial role in the pharmacognostic activities of the extracts. On the other hand, binary combination of orange and lemon peel extract showed most promising activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A synergism was also observed in the bacteriostatic activity against all the food borne microorganisms
