This study aimed to prepare an inhibitory edible coating for Gouda cheese based on whey protein containing lactoperoxidase system (
LPOS
) and
Bunium persicum
essential oil (
EO
) in order to control postpasteurization contamination. Using a full factorial design, the effects of
LPOS
and
EO
on microbiological characteristics and chemical indices of manufactured Gouda cheeses were evaluated during 90 days of storage time.
Listeria
,
lactic acid bacteria
,
Enterobacter
,
Escherichia
, and
Pseudomonas
species were considered as potential pathogenic and spoilage indicators of produced Gouda cheese samples. Chemical properties of cheeses were assessed using the free fatty acid, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid experiments. The results showed that bacteria counts remained constant in cheese samples coated with
EO
and also
EO
–
LPOS
. However, the survival of gram‐positive lactic acid bacteria and
Enterobacter
spp. was more pronounced in
LPOS
‐based coating. The most effective treatments on oxidation stability parameters in cheese samples were
EO
‐ and
EO
–
LPOS
coatings. By the addition of
B. persicum
EO
and
LPOS
, further inhibition of the lipid oxidation of the cheese samples was achieved. Lipolysis, as a result of lipid degradation, was more pronounced in the control, whey‐coated, and whey–
LPOS
‐coated samples in comparison with whey–
EO
‐ and whey–
EO
–
LPOS
‐coated samples during the final days of storage time. These results indicate that antibacterial, lipid oxidation, and oxygen barrier properties of the coatings were developed by the addition of
B. persicum
EO
and
LPOS
.