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

<i>Angelica sinensis</i> is susceptible to blue mold caused by <i>Penicillium polonicum</i> during storage. The metabolic mechanisms of O₃ as a fungicide in controlling blue mold caused by <i>P. polonicum</i> in <i>A. sinensis</i> remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of O₃ treatment on the physiology, pathology, and functional active ingredients of <i>A. sinensis</i> and analyzed its impact on metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with <i>P. polonicum</i> 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 <i>A. sinensis</i>. 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 <i>A. sinensis</i>, which provides a theoretical foundation for the application of O₃ in fresh postharvest storage for <i>A. sinensis</i>.