Microorganisms are the major cause of spoilage in most seafood products. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of antimicrobial coating on the shelf life of smoked tilapia jerky. The antimicrobial coating solution was prepared by incorporating potassium sorbate (PS) and sodium benzoate (SB) into a coating solution made from sodium alginate, whereas the plain coating solution was prepared from sodium alginate without the addition of PS and SB. Tilapia jerky was coated with antimicrobial coating solution (AC) and plain coating solution (PC) respectively and storage quality was compared to sample without coating (WC). Tilapia jerky was stored at room conditions and drawn weekly to evaluate for microbiological and physical-chemical properties. Results showed that coating could retard microbial growth and prolong the shelf life of AC and PC samples for up to 28 and 14 days respectively, compared to WC samples spoiled after 7 days of storage. The use of antimicrobial coating provides a product with higher safety and better quality.