Citrus is one of the most popular fruits in the world due to its high nutritional value and various health-promoting properties. However, after harvest, citrus is susceptible to fungal infections during storage, transportation, and marketing, leading to significant economic losses and potential food safety crises.

Penicillin green mold is the main cause of citrus rot, accounting for about 90% of rotting citrus. Currently, the control of citrus storage rot mainly relies on chemical fungicides, but the widespread use of these chemicals may lead to fungal resistance as well as environmental and health concerns. Therefore, a natural antifungal alternative is urgently needed.

Recently, Prof. Shiping Liu's team from Three Gorges University published their research results entitled “Sanxiapeptin is an ideal preservative with a dual effect of controlling green mold and inducing systemic defense in postharvest citrus” (IF=8.8) in Food Chemistry, the top international agri-food journal. mold and inducing systemic defense in postharvest citrus” (IF=8.8), which verified that Sanxiapeptin can inhibit penicillin green mold through a multiphase antifungal mechanism and effectively control the storage rot of citrus.