# Non-Targeted Metabolomics Analysis Reveals the Inhibition Mechanism of Ozone Treatment on Postharvest Blue Mold in Angelica sinensis

## TL;DR

Ozone treatment helps prevent blue mold in Angelica sinensis by boosting its natural defenses and preserving quality.

## Contribution

This study reveals how ozone treatment inhibits blue mold through specific metabolic pathways in Angelica sinensis.

## Key findings

- Ozone treatment inhibits blue mold and preserves ferulic acid and ligustilide in Angelica sinensis.
- Ozone enhances antioxidant capacity via the TCA cycle and strengthens resistance to fungal invasion through the phenylpropanoid pathway.
- Metabolomics analysis provides a theoretical basis for ozone use in postharvest storage of Angelica sinensis.

## Abstract

Angelica sinensis is susceptible to blue mold caused by Penicillium polonicum during storage. The metabolic mechanisms of O3 as a fungicide in controlling blue mold caused by P. polonicum in A. sinensis remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of O3 treatment on the physiology, pathology, and functional active ingredients of A. sinensis and analyzed its impact on metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with P. polonicum infection. The results indicated that O3 inhibited the occurrence of blue mold, maintained the content of ferulic acid and ligustilide, and suppressed the quality deterioration of A. sinensis. Metabolomics analysis revealed that O3 enhances antioxidant capacity by up-regulating the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and increasing resistance to fungal invasion by up-regulating the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. Collectively, O3 treatment improves the quality of postharvest A. sinensis, which provides a theoretical foundation for the application of O3 in fresh postharvest storage for A. sinensis.