This study investigated the effect on the quality of deepwater pink shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) of onboard chilling with liquid ice versus the traditional chilling with flaked ice. Quality was estimated by physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory parameters after 24 h and 4 days of chilled storage. Application of liquid ice immediately after catch for the fast chilling of pink shrimp reduced the formation of nitrogenous compounds and slowed down the increase in pH and the development of microorganisms during iced storage. On the other hand, texture (breaking force, hardness and elasticity) showed only minor changes. Pink shrimp chilled with liquid ice showed, however, loss of characteristic bright colours and development of dull tones in the carapace that depreciates the product's commercial value. Nevertheless, application of liquid ice onboard was advantageous over the utilization of the traditional type of ice, and seems particularly applicable when shrimp is to be used as a raw material for the type of processing that requires elimination of the carapace. © Springer-Verlag 2002.

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