Electrolyzed water ice is a relatively new concept developed in food industry in recent years. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) ice, compared with tap water (TW) ice, on quality of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in dark condition. The chemical changes, microbiological changes and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity of shrimp stored in AEW ice or TW ice were measured periodically. The results showed that AEW ice significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the changes of pH, the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), and the proliferation of total bacteria counts in shrimp. The diversity of bacterial flora in shrimp stored in AEW ice was greatly reduced according to the Shannon index and the average similarity coefficient based on PCR-DGGE method. Additionally, AEW ice could serve as a potential substance to inhibit PPO activity in shrimp. Based on above analysis, AEW ice is a valid post-harvest treatment for preserving the quality of seafood in dark condition. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.