Seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　at　different　storage　phases　are　various　and　can　be　used　for　freshness　evaluation　during　storage.　It　is　imperative　to　obtain　the　full　volatile　information　prior　to　the　further　study　of　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　during　storage.　Also,　the　efficient　data-processing　method　is　another　important　factor　for　the　interpretation　of　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　during　storage　and　related　potential　volatile　markers.　In　this　work,　a　new　analytical　strategy,　including　the　efficient　sampling　technique.　sensitive　detection　and　suitable　data-processing　method,　for　seafood　freshness　evaluation　was　developed　based　on　the　volatile　profile　characteristics　during　storage.　First,　the　study　of　volatiles　of　seafood　samples　including　razor　clam,　redspot　swimming　crab　and　prawn　at　different　storage　phases　were　conducted　by　headspace　solid　phase　microextraction　(HSSPME)　followed　by　gas　chromatography-mass　spectrometry　(GC-MS)　detection.　Then,　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　at　different　storage　phases　were　statistically　interpreted　by　a　combination　data-processing　method　including　normalization,　principle　component　analysis　(PCA)　and　common　model　strategy.　The　different　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　and　potential　volatile　markers　were　attempted　to　be　distilled.　The　results　tentatively　suggested　that　the　different　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　during　storage　could　reflect　the　transitional　changing　seafood　freshness　and　provide　more　precise　warning　information　for　seafood　spoilage　during　storage　than　any　single　chemical　markers.　This　work　developed　an　analytical　method　for　study　of　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　and　tentatively　proposed　a　new　idea　of　using　seafood　volatile　profile　characteristics　during　storage　for　the　freshness　evaluation　from　the　point　of　view　of　analytical　chemistry.　(C)　2009　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.