Abstract: To study the effect of Chinese prickly ash essential oil on the flavor of salt-baked shrimp, headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) in combination with sensory evaluation and relative odor activity values (ROAV) were used for analysis. The results showed that both Chinese prickly ash powder and Chinese prickly ash essential oil could significantly stimulate the attractive pepper flavor of salt-baked shrimp and reduce their fishy flavor as well as had no significant effect on the background odor of salt-baked shrimp. Compared with the control group (no Chinese prickly ash powder and Chinese prickly ash essential oil), the volatile substances in salt-baked shrimp were enriched after the addition of Chinese prickly ash powder and Chinese prickly ash essential oil. A total of 30 volatile compounds were identified in the control group, with the key ones including heptanal, capraldehyde, nonanal, octanal, benzaldehyde, hexanal, linalool, 1-octen-3-ol, and D-limonene. 52, 54 and 51 volatile compounds in the Chinese prickly ash powder group were identified, respectively. And 53, 54 and 54 were in the Chinese prickly ash essential oil group, respectively. Both Chinese prickly ash powder and Chinese prickly ash essential oil could keep the key volatile components well in salt-baked shrimp. Adding Chinese prickly ash powder and Chinese prickly ash essential oil to salt-baked shrimp could significantly (P<0.05) reduce the ROAV of heptanal, hexanal and capraldehyde, and significantly (P<0.05) increase the ROAV of benzaldehyde, linalool, octanal, and 1-ocene-3-ol, with no obvious effect on the key volatile components. In conclusion, both Chinese prickly ash powder and Chinese prickly ash essential oil can effectively reduce the unpleasant smell in salt-baked shrimp. Chinese prickly ash essential oil plays a key role in the overall flavor of salt-baked shrimp, showing certain theoretical guiding significance for improving the flavor quality of salt-baked shrimp.