Abstract: The degradation of ATP is one of the most important biochemical changes in the post-mortem muscle of aquatic products,and numerous researches have shown that the degradation degree of ATP can not only serve as a significant index for reflecting fish fresh,but also influence the flavor of aquatic products. The degradation mechanisms of ATP and its related compounds,the relationship with freshness and umami and detection methods of aquatic products,and the change of content in storage and processing were reviewed in this paper,aimed at providing reference to optimize the conditions of storage and processing of aquatic products,to meet customers growing demands for the freshness and quality of the aquatic products.