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The research aimed to efficiently prepare zinc caprylate using caprylic acid and zinc sulfate as raw materials and explore its antibacterial effects and mechanisms. The experiment employed a saponification and complex decomposition method to chelate caprylic acid with zinc sulfate to generate zinc caprylate, followed by structural characterization. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were chosen as models, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by a two-fold dilution method to investigate the antibacterial activity of zinc caprylate. The study also examined the impact of zinc caprylate on the cell membrane permeability, biofilm formation, DNA, and protein synthesis of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to elucidate its antibacterial mechanism. The results showed that zinc caprylate had a well-defined crystal structure with uniform particle size. It exhibited strong antibacterial effects against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with the MIC values of 250 and 350 mg/L, respectively, and a stronger inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus. Zinc caprylate disrupted the cell membrane permeability of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in a time-dependent manner, inhibited the formation of bacterial biofilms, thus exerting antibacterial effects. However, the impact on DNA and protein synthesis in both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was not significant. The study suggests that zinc caprylate demonstrates strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting biofilm formation and disrupting cell membrane permeability. It holds potential as a substitute for antibiotics in livestock and poultry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]