Chili shrimp paste (CSP) is a favorite condiment in Southeast Asia. Microbial spoilage makes
CSP unsuitable for consumption within several days. Thermal treatment was applied to produce
microbiologically safe CSP. The effect of heating process on physicochemical and sensorial
properties of CSP was studied. Heating at the optimum condition (21.6 min, 80 ˚C) has been
shown effective and reliable in controlling microorganisms in CSP. Complete inactivation of
peroxidase activities could not be accomplished at the optimal point, and significant reduction
of the total phenolic and capsaicinoids contents was observed. Sensorial evaluation indicated
that thermally processed CSP was less preferred by panelists when compared to freshly prepared
samples of dry weight respectively