This study evaluated the microbial and physicochemical characteristics of raw crab paste treated with atmospheric cold plasma (ACP). The ACP was applied to raw crab paste samples for periods of 30,0, 90, and 120s under different voltage (30,5, 60kV). The changes of bacterial growth rate, the sensory quality, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and fatty acids were tested. The results showed that the best sterilization effect of ACP was 90s at 60kV while the sterilization rate reached 97.3%. The ACP could effectively prolong the shelf life of raw crab paste. The bacterial growth rate of experimental group was significantly slower than that of the control group. The sensory evaluation of control group has been reduced to a general level on the 60 days and could not accept at 90 days, while the experimental group was still good on the 180 days. The TVB-N value of the control group was 28.66mg/100g, while the experimental group was only 21.28mg/100g. The ACP had little effect on the nutritional of raw crab paste. It can be concluded that the ACP could effectively reduce the micro organism and protect quality of raw crab paste and prolong the shelf life.