Isolation of the Main Pathogens Causing Postharvest Disease in Fresh Angelica sinensis during Different Storage Stages and Impacts of Ozone Treatment on Disease Development and Mycotoxin Production.

, a Chinese herbal medicine, is susceptible to molds during storage, reducing its quality, and even generating mycotoxins with toxic effects on human health. Fresh was harvested from Min County of Gansu Province in China and kept at room temperature. Naturally occurring symptoms were observed during different storage stages. Molds were isolated and identified from the diseased using morphological and molecular biology methods. The impact of ozone treatment on postharvest disease development and mycotoxin production was investigated. The results indicated that decay began on day 7 of storage and progressed thereafter. Nine mold species were isolated and characterized: day 7, two ; day 14, ; day 21, two species and ; day 28, and ; and day 49, . Ozone treatment markedly inhibited the development of postharvest disease and the mycotoxin production (such as, patulin, 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, and sterigmatocystin) in the rotten tissue of inoculated with the nine isolates.