External application of RNA interference (RNAi): an innovative tool for controlling fungi during food storage

Fungi are an important group of microorganisms that can spoilage food during storage and transportation, thereby affecting the quality and shelf life of these products. Although synthetic antifungal agents efficiently control the fungal spoilage of food, the continuous use of these substances can cause several problems. The use of ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) as a fungicide has emerged as an alternative approach with less negative environmental impact. Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) is an innovative approach to silence target genes in fungi using RNAi. This review presents state-of-the-art information on the use of SIGS to control fungi during food storage.